Pigs on Wheels
by Damn-my-name-was-taken
Summary: The plot is long and complicated. The plot hasn't really shown its hideous face yet anyway. (AH! it's hideous!)So... Just read the damn fic you bastards.
1. Ch 1 Jaeger

Disclaimer: Ok, we all know that I don't own the X-men. If you don't, now ya' do. I do, however, own Jaeger, Jasper (Char), Lonna, Van, Regan, Steven, Kristen, Tino, Celeste, Skyler, Hanna and Spencer. I also own their non-mutant friends. You'll learn Jaeger's story in the first few chapters. The others pop up later. Basically this whole thing is just about the adventures and lives of these mutant outcasts. Some join the X-men, some side with the Brotherhood. Some switch between the two. I hate to ramble, but there's a whole lot more than just the General hooplah in here. It has Action/Adventure, Romance, Angst, and all sorts of crap popping up at any time. Some of my characters will be paired off with X-men, some with a 'Brotherhoodian,' and some either get no one or end up with one of my other characters. Anyway, one more thing. If any of you read my other fic that I took down, sorry I guess. (If that is you liked it, and I can't blame you if you didn't. It was shit, nuff said.) This one is better, my other one sucked. For those of you who like Zoids, I wrote a Zoids fic called Zoids: Warhorse. It features Jaeger. (heh, heh, heh, Jaeger's goin' places.) The X- men don't show up in this chapter, but you can expect to hear from them soon. Anyway, here's my story. Enjoy and remember to review when you're done. (I'll accept flames, but praise is always appreciated.)  
  
~*~  
  
Ch. 1: Bayville  
  
Jaeger  
  
SWAPT!  
  
My head jerked upward. I found myself looking into the piercing eyes of my math teacher, Mr. Davies. Not something I'd like to wake up to every morning.  
  
Or would this be considered afternoon? I would've looked at the clock, but Davies' big head was in my way.  
  
"Do you like naps, Ms. DeFalco?" the fat, bald Mr. Davies asked me, raising his hairy eyebrow.  
  
Crap. Did I do it again? I have a tendency to fall asleep in math class. It's not my fault! If that fat bastard made it more interesting maybe I would stay awake! And it's not like I'm the only one falling asleep! I just get picked on for it cause I'm the "Mutant Girl!"  
  
"Well?"  
  
"Oh!" I said, jerking back to reality. Time to get sarcastic. Sarcasm flows in my veins like blood. I need it to survive. I'm addicted to it like junkies are addicted to heroin. "Yes sir. I do. They seem most enjoyable during Algebra."  
  
I heard a few chuckles form other students. They may not like me, but at least they can laugh at my comments.  
  
Mr. Davies, however, never could take a joke. Particularly not when I'm the one telling them. What can I say? I get special treatment is all. Just not in a friendly way.  
  
"I don't want your sarcasm," he said. He didn't even try to hide his irritation, how rude. "I think a nice little vacation to Mrs. Tarsen can fix that."  
  
"Yes sir," I answered him. "I like vacations. When do I leave?"  
  
He pointed toward the door and the message got through. "Yessir!" I swaggered over to the door, picking up a hall pass on my out. I gave him a salute before taking my leave. "I'll send you a postcard." I blew a kiss and heard a few giggles from my fellow pupils as I left.  
  
Easy as pie. All the kids and teachers think I'm a dumb ass. But I'm not, I just play the part. I might have blonde hair, but I'm no thicker than anyone else in this school.  
  
"Hey Jag!"  
  
Ah, Leena. I turned around to face the only friend I've ever had. Leena was my best-and only-friend.  
  
"What up, Chick?" I asked her. Chick was her nickname, I don't know why, but I called her Chick once and the name stuck.  
  
"Aye!" she called as she caught up with me. "Mrs. Tarsen again?"  
  
I nodded. She punched my arm, hard. "Don' worry about it Kid," she told me. To her, I was either Jag, or I was Kid. But if she's pissed off, she calls me Git. "She don' bite."  
  
I forced a smile. "Tomorrow's the big day," I reminded her. "Back to America."  
  
"I'll be there to wish you farewell, Kid," she assured me. "Don' you ever forget your wonderful three years in London!"  
  
"Course I won't." I didn't know how to feel about going back to the US of A. I lived in Louisiana all my life, up 'til I was 13, then my mom moved us to London, now we're moving to someplace in New York called Bayville. Now that I'm leaving London, the only friend I'll have with me is a good book.  
  
I waved a farewell as I rounded the corner to Mrs. Tarsen's office.  
  
~*~  
  
I heaved the suitcase over my shoulder. Actually, it was more like a duffle bag. I don't have many personal possessions. I have my pencils and my sketchbook, and a small slip of paper with a number on it. A very special number on it. My dad's phone number. The one way to speak to the man I'd never met before. I haven't ever called him yet. I don't have the guts to.  
  
As I walked outside I noticed two things. One, Leena didn't show. Big surprise. She forgets everything, but the thought she forgot about this made me want to cry. But I wouldn't, not in front of Mom. I hadn't cried since I was five and I was not gonna start now. The second thing I noticed was a young couple standing with my mom. They must be the ratty gits who stole my home from me.  
  
"Oh," my mother called to me. She looked like Marilyn Monroe. Short, curly blonde hair, the make-up, everything. She looked like an old Forties movie star. "Jaeger, darling, come here!"  
  
That's why I hate the lousy bitch. She acts all nice to me in front of other people, but as soon as we're alone she changes into a. Damn! Why? Why can't I ever say anything bad about her?  
  
Because I hate her with a passion.  
  
But I love her with all my heart.  
  
I wish she felt the same about me. But she didn't. She hated me. Because I reminded her of Dad. She met Dad when she was 15 years old. She had me. Dad left as soon as he found out she was pregnant.  
  
I ask myself way she kept me. I do all the time. I like to think it's because she loves me deep down, but I don't know for sure. It's hard to tell how she really feels because she's always so drunk. And when she's drunk. she does things that make me want to kill her. I think sometimes she wants to kill me too. What can I say? My mom's a pisshead and a bad mother.  
  
But it's not her fault! She just can't handle herself without a fag and some alcohol! I like to think that someday she'll realize what she's been doing to me and stop because she really does love me.  
  
But then I also know perfectly well that she'll never care. She never has, and she never will. I promised myself that once I to America I'd leg it to the nearest airport and find a way to get back to England. Then I'll live with Leena. Or, if that doesn't work I'll find the guts to call my dad and maybe I'll live with him.  
  
"Come on," Mom urged. "The Rosemes are dying to meet you!"  
  
So I went and met the gits who were stealing my home from me. They weren't too bad, actually. I got on with them pretty well considering I'd only known them for five minutes. Too bad I'm gonna have to make life hell for them.  
  
Mom waved me to the car. "Come on dear! We don't want to be late!"  
  
So I slipped in the front beside Mom. She started the car and sped away.  
  
I figured I'd give the Rosemes a little housewarming party.  
  
Like I said, I'm a mutant. Proud of it. Now here's what I do, I can blow up, break, shatter, or put fire to any inanimate object. They only restriction is. it can't be any bigger than a football. (No, not a soccer ball, I'm talking about a football as in Super Bowl.) I also have a really hard time controlling my power sometimes because when I get angry, frustrated, hurt, too excited, of if I get too competitive I just use it on accident. But, in cases like this. losing control is not something to whine about! So, I shattered their new windows, and blew up anything else I could manage. Heh, heh, heh. Oh yeah. They'll love it here.  
  
But my mom saw me do it. She jerked the car to a stop, and slapped me hard across the face! "Don't you dare do that again!" She gave me a death glare.  
  
I shuddered. Her death glares scare me to death. I think that's the whole point though. To kill me. Her death glares could scare Hitler into rethinking the Holocaust! In fact, that's an understatement! She really does look like she's gonna rip my throat out. I think that, given the opportunity, she would too. I tried to hold her gaze, but I ended up looking at the window. My mom hates everything about me. Even the way I talk. See, I use English slang terms (like git, sod, and scatty to name a few) but I have an American accent. It drives her bloody insane! But that's what she gets for dragging me halfway 'round the world. Sorry Mom.  
  
I sat there for God knows how long when we pulled up to an airport. I lost track of time as we boarded the plane. And I went through four books on the ride to my new home. All of this crap without even an ounce of sleep! Jetlag's gonna be a pain, I assure you. That really sucks though cause my legs are already sore.  
  
I've gotta admit, Bayville's a nice little place. We drove to our house in silence and I got a look at my school. Apparently everyone just got released because I saw huge crowds of kids and Mom had to drive at a slower speed limit. I didn't know any of them, but these two groups stuck out to me a bit. They were having some sort of argument, I wished I could hear it, but it's no business of mine. I was tempted to roll down the window and join in the fun, make friends and all that shit. But if I made myself known then my mom would also let the fact that I'm a mutant slip into the open. She has a nasty habit of spreading rumors. If only her brain were as big as her gob.  
  
We passed up the place up and about half an hour later pulled into a driveway. I checked to clock. 4: 53. Wow, it feels much later! I can't wait to get some sleep. I might as well sleep soon as I get in, that way I'll be fit to leg it at night.  
  
~*~  
  
My duffle bag was full of food and clothes and God knows what else that I managed to score last night. It was too perfect, I got outa that shitty place, and I robbed her blind! No, really, I took all her cash and cards, I took enough Goldfish and other munchies to last me a week, and best of all.  
  
I blew up the booze.  
  
I did! I took what was there, took what was there outside, and blew up what was outside. Then I got outa that place fast as my legs could take me. The don't call me Jaeger for nothing, I'll tell you right now. I never felt so free.  
  
Or so freakin' scared.  
  
But there was no time to put it in reverse and go back. And if there was, I wouldn't do it cause Mom would have my head served on a silver platter while she sipped tea.  
  
As it turned out, I hadn't been as tired as I lead myself to believe, so I wrote a letter to Mom telling her I left. I couldn't find the right words at first, but I got them after a while. Do you wanna know what it said? I bet you do.  
  
Mom. Don't ever expect me to come back. Don't ever expect to see me again. In fact, don't expect a thing from me. No, I take that back, expect to never  
see me again. As I'm almost sure you know, I'm not around anymore. As a little farewell, I've got something to say. I hate you. I always hated you, and you hated me too didn't you. I hope you drown in booze. Not that you have any at this  
point, but when you get more, drown in it. I'll be watching. I'm doing you a favor Mom. I'm doing me a favor too. You never liked me; I always got in your hair and you in mine. Don't take this personally. though  
it is all your fault.  
  
Good-bye and Good riddance,  
Yours truly, Jaeger  
  
PS: I hope you have a job, cause you'll need one in order to get cash.  
PSS: You can expect me ring you up on occasion, just to check in.  
  
Ok, I was a little harsh. I just wish I could see her face! HA HA! She'll be steaming! But I think I missed the moment. It's 11: 47 in the morning. And I'm having trouble finding the airport. I should've brought a map. Or I should've waited until I was more familiar with the place. But it's Saturday at least, so people won't be suspicious if they see me walking around. Plus, I have time.  
  
I was walking around in a lonely neighborhood. Not many people out at all, only the occasional jogger or man walking his dog. I hadn't seen a house in fifteen minutes.  
  
Until now. I saw a small, three story building with a sign sticking outa the driveway that read:  
  
Brotherhood Boarding House  
  
The place was a wreck. Maybe I could squat here for a few nights, it looks about as empty as my mother's head.  
  
Or not.  
  
I had spoken too soon. I saw a young girl about my age roar the drive in a Jeep. The music was cranked up to a degree, and she was.  
  
Passing me by. No big, I kept going.  
  
I got about three strides when I saw the Jeep stop, and back up towards me. I was ready to make some noise if things got out of hand.  
  
"Do I know you?" she yelled over the radio. She had blonde hair and a pink shirt on. Her make-up was a bit over done, but who was I to judge. I don't even wear make-up.  
  
"I don't think so." I answered.  
  
"What?" She apparently couldn't hear me because of the music. I gave a thumbs down sign and she nodded and turned it down. "Do I know you?" she repeated.  
  
"Don't think so." I told her again.  
  
She held her hand. "Tabitha," she goes. (A/N: I forgot her last name, any one wanna help out a fellow writer?) "You?"  
  
I go, "Jaeger."  
  
"Isn't that, like, some type of plane?"  
  
"Chuck Jaeger was the first pilot to break the sound barrier," I told her.  
  
"Cool," she nodded slowly, but I didn't think she was impressed. "I'm off to the mall, wanna ride?"  
  
What have I got to lose? I ask you. I know I shouldn't. I don't know her. I don't even know if Tabitha's her real name. But hey, she was cool. "Sure," I said.  
  
She pointed to my bag. "Throw it in the back," she said. "What's it for?"  
  
I don't know why I told her. But I liked this girl and I was about to go to the mall, so I go, "I'm legging it. Running away."  
  
She looked at me. "Whatever floats your boat." We tore off down the road, toward the mall.  
  
The mall was huge! It was filled with people too, which really isn't that surprising considering the fact that it's Saturday. We slipped through the masses and went into any store we felt like going into. Tabitha tried on cloths and I told her which outfits looked better or worse. I didn't try on any myself, I've never really enjoyed shopping for cloths and shoes or make- up. I know, I'm a weird girl, but hey, I like what I like and vice-versa. We had the best time!  
  
After we'd explored over half the mall, Tabitha got hungry. We made our to a food court and waited in a line that was a mile long! The two of us talked while we waited for our turn and eventually we got up to second place.  
  
"Whadda you want?" she asked me, scanning the menu to choose her own meal.  
  
"Oh," I said. I was hungry, but I didn't want her to spend money on me. "I'm not hungry."  
  
My growling stomach gave me away.  
  
"Don't spend your money on me. I have Mom's."  
  
She smiled slyly. "It's not even my money! Now tell me what you want or I'll order for you."  
  
I sighed. I figured she was one of those people who when their minds are made up you can't change. "Just get me the good stuff."  
  
So we ended up sitting at a lunch table eating burgers and French fries and sipping cokes. I've never had so much fun! Maybe this Bayville place isn't so bad after all. I'll have to rethink that back-to-London bit.  
  
Things were going great! I hadn't even used my power yet! Nothing could go wrong! Life's a party! I was getting really excited about hanging out in Bayville!  
  
That was my first mistake.  
  
I had been raving about how cool Bayville was to Tabs, stuffing fries in my mouth between sentences, and then.  
  
SHWINGISH!  
  
Oh my God! The windows!  
  
The windows in the food court just shattered into an infinite amount of pieces! Oh my God! It was all my fault! Why did I let myself get so worked up over this?  
  
I couldn't think of what to say. So I go, "Sorry," really quiet so only Tabs could hear me.  
  
She looked at the windows, then at me, windows again, then back to me. "You did that?" she whispered really quiet.  
  
I was ready to blow her burger if things got ugly. I nodded. "It was an accident."  
  
She smiled. "Watch this." She blew into her hand and the next thing I know she's holding some glowing yellow ball. She flicked at a woman was staring at my handiwork. It rolled beside the woman's foot and.  
  
SHOOBANG!  
  
Awesome!!!  
  
The poor old girl never had the chance to run! The little ball blew up and scared the shit out of her! Tabitha sat there laughing away like. like Tabitha I guess. I started laughing too, though I felt a bit sorry for Tabitha's victim. She was a mutant too!  
  
But then she got all serious and business like. She leaned over the table and talked all quiet like. "So you blow up windows?"  
  
I imitated her. "And anything else smaller than a football."  
  
"I can make my own explosions, as you can see. I got an idea for you. Come on."  
  
We left the food court and walked up to a crowd of people. She handed me a penny and gave instructions for a prank. She told me to roll the penny over to them, wait for someone to reach down and grab it, then blow it to bits in their faces!  
  
I did. And oooooooooooh, boy. You should've seen their faces! HA HA! We played more tricks like that, and then Tabs told me about the place she lives at. Apparently she lives with a group of guys who are also mutants and they fight against these other mutants, the X-guys or something. She told me that since I was running away I could stay with them! Do you know what I said? I'll tell you what I said! I said, "Tabitha," I said. "I'm your mutant."  
  
Then she grabbed me by the wrist, thrust my hand in the air and she screamed to the whole mall, "The Panzer!!! Whoa-hoo!!"  
  
Well that freaked me out. My mom could be here! So I pulled my hand away and I asked what Panzer was. She goes, "Every mutant has a nickname. I'm Boom-Boom, you're Panzer."  
  
"Panzer?"  
  
"Yeah! It's tank or explosion or something in German. I saw it on an old war movie."  
  
Wow. I was Panzer. It made me feel like I'd been accepted. I am the happiest kid alive!!!  
  
_~*~_  
  
Well? Whadda ya think? That's the end of this chapter. R&R, tell me good news, bad news, but tell me news! Thanks for taking the time to read this, I know it's kinda wordy. Like I said, "X-guys" pop up later. The next character I'm gonna introduce will be Van, but not for a few chapters. Van's cool, I hope you all like him.  
  
See ya' when I see ya'! Bye! 


	2. Ch 2 Jaeger

ME: Thanx Agent-G! As far as Jaeger's abilities, she has to be able to see the object to blow it up. She doesn't have to be looking at it, but it has to be range. Its mass can be no more than a football. (Length or height may very, but in general.) Smaller objects are easier to blow to pieces, and mood can dictate intensity. Ex. If she was in a good mood it would not only be a weaker explosion, but harder to do. However, if she was pissed off then the explosion would be bigger and more intense, and easier to produce. "Brotherhoodian" is my term for a member of the Brotherhood. I mean honestly, would you rather say "a member of the Brotherhood" of "Brotherhoodian?" It saves time and typing space.  
  
I'm glad you enjoy it. (I hope other people do too, please review.) Well, here's Chapter 2. (Wow, a 2nd chapter.)  
  
~*~  
  
Ch. 2: School  
  
Jaeger  
  
I met the whole Brotherhood gang on Saturday night. I don't care much for Pietro (A/N: I hope I spelled that right), Lance is alright, I get along fine with Fred and Todd, and Wanda scares the crap outa me so I keep my distance. I'm convinced she's gonna blow my brains out when I'm not looking. Not a good feeling, trust me. Maybe if I wrap my head in foil. No. I'd look ridiculous. And I'd mess up my hair. Not that I've cared about that much in the past, but I need all the excuses I can get.  
  
Anyway. We all got acquainted and then this morning (Sunday) Tabs and I stole Lance's car (I feel so bad!) and got some food in our stomachs. Then we went back to the mall. To be honest, two days in a row is a bit much for me, but I didn't complain. While we were there we hit a music store and I picked up some Aerosmith tunes. Aerosmith rules! Then later on we went home and listened to Lance yell at us for stealing his car. Then somewhere around 6: 30 my new pals went out to "kick X-men ass." I was invited, but I declined.  
  
I wish I didn't because now I'm dying of boredom! For a while I practiced juggling. Why? Because that way when I "go into battle" I can juggle little objects and throw at people, then make them blow up! Come on! That's cool!  
  
But it's so freakin' hard!  
  
I can't juggle the damn ball! My record is one. I tried two but I found it a bit overwhelming. So I gave up. Now I'm bored out of my wits! Next time I'll go, not to hurt people, that's not my style, but just as backup. To watch.  
  
I leaned back in the couch lazily and got a spring up my ass in response. Clearly this sofa is not people friendly. Nothing in this dump is. I tried to heat something up in the microwave and it blew up! Not because of me, because it needs to be fixed!  
  
Sigh. I need a walk.  
  
I grabbed an oversized Notre Dame sweatshirt and walked toward the door. I had to fight it to get it open though, the knob wouldn't turn so made it go KABOOM! Ha. How's that for a victory.  
  
It was cold. I should've brought something warmer than a sweatshirt. God, I'm such a dumbass! But I didn't want to go back inside so I started to walk. I went here and there. Drifting where ever I felt like drifting. I knew I would never find my way back to the house, but I didn't care. I crammed my hands in my pockets and kept going.  
  
I don't know how long I'd been walking but I noticed little white flakes falling from the sky and I smiled. I smiled a stupid, carefree smile. I like snow. Snow is good.  
  
I turned my gaze forward once again and I noticed for the first time a huge (and I mean HUGE) mansion sitting on top of a hill. I walked by it. I couldn't help but notice the bright Christmas lights that glittered on top of it. Wow. So quiet. So peaceful. Whoever lives here is a lucky somebody. I leaned against the big iron gates. What the hell are they for? Decoration maybe? No. They seem too. I dunno, strong I guess to be for decoration.  
  
It's none of my business anyway. I continued.  
  
~*~  
  
It took awhile, but I found my way back to the boarding house. I would call it home, but. home is where the heart is, you know? And my heart is definitely not here.  
  
Tabs got all worked up saying how she could kill me for wandering off, but cooled down when I told her about the mansion.  
  
"Yeah," she said. "I used to live there."  
  
I was gobstopped! I probed her for more information, but she would just shrug and say it wasn't her kind of place.  
  
I tried to let it go. But I couldn't help but wonder who lived there. They must a wealthy little git!  
  
But in the end, sleep won me over and I drifted off. I wonder what school will be like?  
  
~*~  
  
Damn you Tabitha!  
  
She didn't wake me up! Now I'm like, an hour late for class and I've missed Algebra! I go straight on to Chemistry, but I don't even know where to start looking! This place is huge!  
  
I pushed open some doors and charged through an empty hallway. My head looking this way and that, reading signs on classroom doors and looking for my Chemistry room. I've got class with Mrs. Sullivan. She doesn't sound too friendly.  
  
I almost passed it. I dug my heels into the tile floor to stop and I opened the door silently. Her back was turned, but other people were looking at me and stifling smiles. I held a finger to my lips to silence them and I tiptoed in. I moved toward an empty chair and-  
  
"Well, well. Look who decided to show up."  
  
Busted! I turned to face my mentor and smiled shyly.  
  
"I take it you're the new student." She was an older lady with half-moon glasses and gray hair. "Class, this is Jaeger. I pleased to see you decided to join us. You know class starts at 10: 45. It's 11: 05. You're late."  
  
I nodded. Everyone was looking at me, sizing me up. I didn't like it. I hate being in the spotlight. "I realized that," I said honestly. "But ya see, I kinda got sorta lost. And my um, alarm clock got busted, so I, uh, missed my ride, and uh. The whole thing snowballed."  
  
She nodded. "I'll let you off this time," she told me. "But you'd better shape up in the future. Now take your seat."  
  
I looked around for a friendly face and chose the seat by some guy with navy colored hair. An odd shade, yes, but my other option was some girl with her nose pierced, so.  
  
I sat down and tried to pay attention.  
  
"Guten tag," he greeted me.  
  
"Uh, hi," I said.  
  
"I'm Kurt Vagner," he said smiling so big I thought his teeth would fall out. "I take it you're Jaeger?"  
  
"Yeah," I said. He was friendly, that was good.  
  
"Vhat class do you have next?"  
  
"Uh," I looked at my little sheet that told me that kind of stuff. "History."  
  
He nodded. "So you're new?"  
  
"Uh, yeah."  
  
He nodded again. Then pointing to the sheet I had asked, "Can I see?"  
  
"Sure." I handed it to him and he scanned it over a bit.  
  
"You have P.E. vith Evan, and Art vith Jean," he told me. "You should have Algebra vith me, but you vere late."  
  
"Whose Evan and Jean?" I asked him.  
  
"Some friends of mein."  
  
"Ok," I said.  
  
~*~  
  
I lived through history. Now I have to survive lunch. I looked for a place to sit. Crap, I don't know anyone!  
  
Wait!  
  
I see that German guy over there! Maybe I can sit with him! But I don't know if I should. I don't wanna rain on his parade. Hmmmm. What to do, what to do.  
  
I was about to resort to wandering aimlessly around in circles when I noticed he was waving at me. At least I think it was me. I looked behind me to make sure, but nope. It was me.  
  
I smiled and walked on over. I sat down next to him.  
  
"Guten tag, ve meet again," he said smiling again. "Zhese are mein friends, zhat's Scott, Even, Kitty, Jean, and Rogue."  
  
"Uh," I said nervously. "Hi."  
  
"Hey!" Kitty said. "Like, what's your name?"  
  
"Jaeger."  
  
"Cool!"  
  
So everyone greeted me. They were really nice people. Rogue was a bit quiet, but I got on fine with her. Wow. These guys were great! I was having a ball just sitting here eating crappy cafeteria food and talking with my -I think it's safe to call them- friends!  
  
That is, until.  
  
"Conversing with the enemy?"  
  
Lance.  
  
I turned to face him. "What? The enemy?"  
  
"That's what I said."  
  
Our once cheerful conversation died as soon as Lance joined in. The once warm and friendly atmosphere went cold.  
  
"Why?" I asked, thoroughly confused. What had I done wrong? "Can't I have other friends besides you?"  
  
"Not when it's the X-men you're making friends with!" he shouted.  
  
What? I. I .  
  
That's funny. I always pictured the X-men big strong, scary-looking guys, not some group of teenagers. I looked back at them and they looked back at me. They looked confused and distrustful. I didn't know what to do. I turned my gaze back to Lance. "Oh," was all I could manage to say. "I didn't know that."  
  
"Come on," he ordered me.  
  
I don't like being ordered around.  
  
I waved at them and tried to smile. "Bye."  
  
No one waved back. No one smiled. They just looked at me.  
  
I backed away slowly and followed Lance through the crowd.  
  
This sucks.  
  
~*~  
  
I have P.E. now. With Evan. Great.  
  
This sucks.  
  
After dressing out our coach split us into teams for basketball. I was paired of with another girl, two other guys, and Evan.  
  
I didn't know if that was good news, or bad news.  
  
I caught his eye and smiled, but he didn't smile back. He glared at me.  
  
This sucks.  
  
Lance was on the opposing team with Pietro.  
  
The whistle blew and the game began!  
  
Evan was good! He moved that ball down that court so fast he was like a blur!  
  
But so was Pietro.  
  
Pietro snatched the ball from him and took it down to the other end.  
  
I'm not very good at basketball, but if Pietro thinks that I can't play anyhow, he's another thing coming. I threw myself into him, knocking the ball out of his hands, I grabbed it and chucked it at Evan while Pietro slid on the floor! He grabbed my ankle and pulled me down.  
  
"Hey!" I shouted.  
  
The other team members surrounded us with curious eyes to see what would happen.  
  
"Just getting some sweet revenge," he said in that irritating, cocky voice.  
  
"Go to hell," I spat through clenched teeth.  
  
We stood up. "Bite me!" he dared.  
  
"I don't eat crap!" I shouted back.  
  
My teammates started laughing, including Evan, but Pietro's team gave us glares.  
  
Pietro clenched his fists.  
  
I clenched mine.  
  
Evan stepped in between us. "Come on! Let's just play the game." He passed the ball to Lance. "It's your ball, don't lose it this time."  
  
After that the game got a bit rough. Eventually it became a two-on-two. Me and Evan vs. Pietro and Lance. The other kids got tired and quit.  
  
I think I kinda restored some friendship between Evan and me. With a little luck he could put in a good for me with the others. We might be on different sides, but we can still be friends, right?  
  
~*~  
  
Art wasn't too bad. Since I came in during the middle of a project, I just did whatever was available. I drew for a bit, and then I tried to start a conversation with Jean. If I could get two X-men on my side I'd have greater chances of being in the clique again.  
  
"That's good," I told her.  
  
"Thanks," she said. "I wasn't sure if I-" She stopped when she looked up and recognized me. "Can I help you?"  
  
I shrugged. "Just wanted to talk to someone. I don't know anyone but you in this class."  
  
"Ok," she said. She didn't sound interested. "What do you want to talk about?"  
  
I shrugged again. "I don't really know."  
  
"Ok," she continued working.  
  
Project Jean was a failure. Crap. At least I still got Evan. Maybe I can get Kurt to back me up tomorrow.  
  
This good-guy, bad-guy thing is too confusing. It makes my head spin. I'll figure all this crap out someday.  
  
_~*~_  
  
Ok, that's chapter two. Van will be introduced next chapter. Guess what his power is if you want, I'd be interested to see what you come up with, I'll give you a hint of course. I hope this chapter was a success. I'm always afraid it'll be too wordy, tell me if I need to slack off a bit.  
  
Hint: His nickname will be Rice.  
  
Not much of a hint, but if I gave you more it'd be too obvious.  
  
See ya' when I see ya'! Bye! 


	3. Ch 3 Van & Jaeger

ME: I'm really glad you like it Agent-G! It makes me feel all happy inside! Tabitha's last name is Smith? Really? Ok, Jaeger will ditch the Brotherhood in good time. She's a bit mixed up right now. Ok, with this chapter you'll fist hear a bit from Jaeger, then Professor X, then Van'll pick up. Jaeger comes back after a bit, then Van comes to stay. Van's cool (a bit odd too), I hope you like him!  
  
Chapter 3:  
  
Jaeger  
  
Don't these teachers ever get tired of hearing their own voice? My God, she's like the thing that wouldn't shut up! I elbowed Kurt to get his attention. "It doesn't happen to have an off switch does it?"  
  
He shook his head. "Nein, I'm afraid not. But maybe a blast to zhat math book vould put a lid on it for a vhile."  
  
I thought about it for a bit. But in the end I just shook my head. I don't pick on people weaker than me. Not my style.  
  
Ok, I'll fill you in on details. Kurt and Evan are still my pals. The others probably won't talk to me for a while, though I try to start a conversation whenever I get a chance. I feel awful. They hate me, I didn't even do anything wrong, or did I? I asked Evan and he said it was because the Brotherhood was the bad guys. I didn't know what to say about that. So I asked Todd and he said, "Don't talk to those losers! 'Specially not that furry freak!"  
  
At first I had no idea who the "furry freak" was. Then Kurt touched me and I realized... I was a little freaked out at first. But hey, he gave me a second chance, so I owe him. Plus he's a nice guy with a to-die-for accent, so hey. Whatever.  
  
Jean is very good at avoiding conversation. I know that after four days of trying to start a renewed friendship in art class. I swear she has a cold comment for everything! I bugs me how she can be cruel and polite at the same time. How does she do it?  
  
Anyway, today's Friday and it's pouring rain outside. There are rumbles of thunder every ten seconds and I'm in a good mood. Why? Because I like rain. Why? Because my mom doesn't. Ha-ha! Take that!  
  
I called her last night. I feel awful. She was crying and begging me to come home. I know it's all an act but... I can't help but feel like I've done something wrong. My mom tends to do that to people, not just me. She has this amazing ability to manipulate people, and I would've gone back to her if I hadn't smacked into Evan, Kurt, and Scott on my way back.  
  
Evan went, "Hey, where are you going with that bag?"  
  
Kurt went, "Ja, are you going on vacation?"  
  
I then realized that I almost fell for her scheme. I could've kicked myself!  
  
Those guys don't know it, but they did me a huge favor that night. I owe them big time.  
  
But now that's practically ancient history (despite the fact it was just last night) and it's time to face other problems. Like how I plan on getting back to the house. Like I said, it's raining chickens and swordfish, thundering like mad, and I get to walk. Lucky me. Oh well, it's only first period so maybe the rain will lighten up a bit. I hope so.  
  
As it turned out, it didn't lighten up. Not at all. So I watched other people jump into their parents' or their friends' cars and drive off. Lucky. I need a truck. A big, shiny truck. Yeah.  
  
Since I couldn't find a good time to leave I counted to three and stepped into the wet, cold pellets of water falling from the sky. I got about halfway down the steps when-  
  
"Uhhh, do you need a ride?"  
  
I turned on my heel and looked up at Kurt and Evan. I smiled. "You have a car?"  
  
"Vell," Kurt said. "Not exactly. Ve ride in Jean's SUV. I'm sure you'd be velcome to lift home at least."  
  
"Yeah," Evan piped in. "Better than walking in the rain."  
  
I didn't know if the others would be too keen on me hitching a ride back to the boarding house. And if it's Jean's car...  
  
Oh what the hell? I'm freezing out here!  
  
"Ok," I said at last, climbing back up the steps. "I'm coming. But if your buddies don't want me to come then I'll mop the floor with you." Which is not true. These guys are my pals and I would never hurt them.  
  
~*~  
  
Professor Xavier leaned back in his chair and rubbed his eyes. He checked the clock, and realizing it was time to go, found his way out of his study. As he glided down the hall he ran into Ororo (A/N: did I spell that right?).  
  
"We'll be leaving soon," he reminded her.  
  
She nodded and continued her journey through the mansion.  
  
The Professor was looking forward to meeting this new mutant, Van, in person. The new recruit had no idea what his powers were yet, but his mutation was obvious. Van had not been eating for the last few days. Few weeks, actually. The Professor knew that Van wouldn't be pleased with his ability, but he had agreed to go to the institute for training.  
  
I'd better get going, Xavier thought as he entered the hanger, facing a large black jet. I wouldn't want to be late.  
  
~*~  
  
Van  
  
6: 13. That professor guy will be here soon.  
  
"Hey Rosie," I heard my older brother calling. "Dinner time!"  
  
Why does he even bother? He knows as well as I do that food is the last thing I want. As for Rosie, I bet you're wondering. Ok, confession time. My full name is Rosenbelt Van Hoenstein. Yeah. That is a mouthful.  
  
But seriously, Rosenbelt? What were they on when they named me that?  
  
So I have people call me Van. Can you blame me?  
  
DINGDONG!  
  
My head popped up so fast I almost fell over. This must be my ride! I couldn't wait to see the guy I'd be living with until this whole mutant thing settles down. I still don't know what my power is yet, but I hope it's cool like... telepathy, or laser eyes, or super speed.  
  
I clunked down the stairs with my suitcase in hand and found myself facing two new faces. An old guy in a wheelchair who had this weird kinda', I dunno, aura thing goin' on, and a really hot African chick with white (I mean really white) hair.  
  
I put on my best "seducer's smile" (as my mom calls it) and held out my hand. "Professor Xavier I presume and his lovely assistant," I shook hands with each of them. "I am Van Hoenstein, it is a pleasure to meet you at last."  
  
"His real name is Rosenbelt," my younger sister Kimmi snickered.  
  
Oh yeah. I have a sister. Kimmi is eleven, five years younger than me and she knows exactly what to say to tick me off. But what really bugs me is... I adore my sister. I could never hurt her and she knows it, which is why she always teases me. But we're best friends.  
  
"Shut up Kimberly Judith Hoenstein." I growled.  
  
My mom waltzed in. "Oh, Mr. Xavier. And you are-"  
  
"Ororo Monroe," she said. "I'm a teacher at the Xavier Institute."  
  
"Well," Mom said happily. "Why not stay for dinner. I'd love to get to know you."  
  
Moooooooom! Noooo! Prof. Just say "NO!"  
  
"I'm not sure if that's such a good idea," the Professor argued. "I have a mansion full of rambunctious students to return to."  
  
YES!  
  
"No, no. I insist." Mom fought back. "It'll only be for a bit."  
  
Crap.  
  
"Ok," Xavier finally quit. "But just for a bit. I want to get back in time for Van to meet his new housemates."  
  
So we all sat down at the dinner table. I locked eyes with Kimmi and we smiled at each other. We were about to do our infamous "Grace Routine."  
  
"Kimmi," I inquired, smiling wider. "Shall we say our Grace?"  
  
She nodded. We both chorused, "Grace!" and she piled food onto her plate. I took a microscopic portion of mash-tatoes (as we call them in this house) and an even smaller amount of chicken. The rest of my family, seeing us -well, mainly just Kimmi- chowing down, unclasped their hands and dished out their rations too. I looked over at our two guests and saw the Professor... laughing? I like this guy, he has a good sense of humor. His girlfriend sitting beside him was chuckling a bit too. I hope I like the other kids at the Institute as much as I like these two.  
  
But I don't like food. It's so weird. A few weeks ago I started getting disgusted by even looking at it. The though of eating it made me gag. Before that, however, I was fine. I could've scarfed a whole turkey if given the chance. Now I... I dunno, I can hear people chew and it disgusts me. I tried eating once, and I got so sick I was in bed for three days! All I did was take a bite of spaghetti! One bite!  
  
Instead of being hungry, I've been... thirsty. I drink mass amounts of water and milk and soda, anything, everyday. My thirst is never fully quenched, but at least it's tolerable.  
  
The Professor told me that he could explain everything to me once we get back to the mansion. I wanted to ask him now, but I figured I'd wait.  
  
So I waited, listening to their conversations and constant chewing. My stomach churned. Why do they have to chew so loud?  
  
~*~  
  
Jaeger  
  
I cleared my throat. "So," I tried to start a conversation. "Nice weather, huh?"  
  
Yeah, real nice. Thanks to this rain I'm squeezed in the far back between Evan and Kurt. Kitty and Rogue are in the front back (hey, an oxymoron!) and Scott's in the passenger seat while Jean's driving.  
  
To be honest, I'm surprised they let me come. I thought for sure Jean would use her psychic whatever to throw me across the school. But she didn't. She just looked outside, shrugged and said. "Ok."  
  
Ok?  
  
"Yah, the weather's... great," Rogue said sarcastically, leaning her chin in her hand.  
  
"At least it's Friday," Kitty tried to perk her up.  
  
"Yah, but next week's semester exams."  
  
"But," Kitty argued. "After that it's Christmas holiday!"  
  
"Sure," Rogue hissed. "Great for you, Ah, don't have any family to visit. Scott an Ah'll be home alone with Logan, Professor, Ororo, and Mr. McCoy. Yah, we'll have a blast."  
  
"I hear there's a new guy coming this weekend," Kitty changed the subject. "Van, I think."  
  
"Yeah, I heard about him too," Jean joined in, pulling up to a stop sign. "But the Professor hasn't told me what his power is yet."  
  
"I'm sure there's a good reason for it," Scott said.  
  
Isn't it amazing. All I said was, "Nice weather" and now we have this. I got skills... but I wish I could join in as a friend, not as an unwanted guest. I feel kinda outa place. I'm sitting a car here with the X-men, and they all seem to be talking around me. I'm here for the ride, sure. But I can't help but think that missing everything. They probably think I'm spying on them for the Brotherhood, but I'm not! I just want to be friends with other mutants who don't eat bugs at breakfast.  
  
For a moment there was a silence. A creepy silence. Then Jean goes, "Hey Jaeger, if you'd like we could maybe take you back to the Institute to meet the Professor."  
  
WHAT THE-!?!  
  
I was gobstopped. Not only was I invited to this Institute I hear so much about, but I was also invited to meet the famed Professor! And who asked me? Jean Grey! I looked at Kurt and saw that he looked about as stunned as I was. Then he smiled and nodded.  
  
Had I just been accepted?  
  
Not by everyone.  
  
"What?" Scott yelled. "But she's with the Brotherhood! What if she's spying?"  
  
Ouch. That stung.  
  
"Hey! She's not spying!" Kurt rose to my defense. "She just vants to be our friend!"  
  
"She's not a spy Scott," Jean said calmly. "Trust me."  
  
He did. He wasn't happy about it, but he did. I think that this Jean girl knows something I don't. I also think that she has a kind of authority in this little group.  
  
Oh well. Questions later.  
  
We pulled up in the driveway and I saw the mansion for the second time.  
  
Second? Yes, that's what I said. It's the same house I saw that day. Last Sunday. With the Christmas lights, everything! Wow!  
  
We all stampeded inside and if I thought it cool on the outside, wow! The inside is even better! I was so busy looking around, from the huge Christmas tree, to the dinner table to-  
  
I just bumped into some kid. Wait. Where'd they come from. I'm seeing doubles, and triples. Huh?  
  
"Hi," the six identical boys said in unison.  
  
"Uh," was all I said.  
  
Evan tapped my shoulder. "That's Jamie," he said. "We call him multiple."  
  
"Ok."  
  
So they showed me around and introduced me to everyone! I saw Kurt without his watch and, wow, did he look... different. I knew he had fur but I had never seen him before. Then Kitty hauled me off to meet the Professor.  
  
"Hey Logan," she called to some guy. "Where's the Professor?"  
  
"He left Half-pint," he said. Then he focused on me. "Who are you? You're not that new kid with the Brotherhood are you?"  
  
Kitty gave me nervous look. I felt like if I said the wrong thing this guy would tear me to pieces. So I opened my mouth and said, "Yes. Yes, I am. But I'm looking in on this place because the Brotherhood doesn't quite cut it for me."  
  
He gave me an icy stare, but nodded. "In that case I'm Logan." He held out his hand and we shook.  
  
I hung out there for God knows how long. It was the most fun I've ever had! I played Halo with Bobby, Evan, and Kurt (I got my ass kicked, I lost with like, -32 points!). I even had dinner there. I wanna be an X-person. I would say X-man, but I'm kinda a woman, so... doesn't work for me.  
  
After we ate I went back to play more Xbox with Evan and Kurt and Bobby, but instead we ran into three people I hadn't met yet.  
  
"Hey Auntie O!" Evan called.  
  
~*~  
  
Van  
  
The mansion is huge. From the moment I walked inside I knew I would like it here. I knew it would be even better when I saw a group of kids my age walk into the living just now.  
  
"Hey Auntie O!"  
  
"Evan," Mrs. Monroe smiled back. Her smile however faded when she noticed the blonde chick in the bunch. "Who's your friend?"  
  
"Zhis is Jaeger," said a blue... what the hell is that?  
  
I backed up a few steps. He frowned at me while other kids came in.  
  
"Oh," Mr. Xavier said. "You must be the Brotherhood's new member."  
  
"Um, I uh... was actually," she looked at the clock. "Wow! It's 8:30! I think I should leave."  
  
"Vhat?" Blueboy exclaimed. "But you just got here!"  
  
"Yeah," she said, moving toward the door. "Four hours ago!" And with that, she left.  
  
From there, I learned names, powers, and given a tour.  
  
Oh, and I'm a vampire. Wait, a what!?!  
  
According to the Professor, the reason I've been so thirsty is because I've been craving blood (Ew! Gross!) and I've stopped eating because it is no longer necessary for my body.  
  
You think that's wack? Wait'll you hear this. The Professor gave me... pig's blood. Makes you wanna gag, right? I did, but then somehow he convinced me to try it, and... I liked it. Gross right? Well, not to me. It was delicious! And you know what? I wasn't thirsty anymore. Cool, aye?  
  
It was at the time. But now it's 5:30 on a Saturday and I'm going on my first run in something called the Danger Room. Now, I don't know what a Danger Room is, but it sounds painful, no?  
  
I found out pretty quickly it was.  
  
I spent my whole weekend getting my ass kicked by the Danger Room. Christmas Holiday all of a sudden sounds more like eternal torture. I can't wait.  
  
~*~  
  
Van  
  
Today is my first day of school at Bayville high. I plan to make myself known. Today I went to school without pants. Yeah, no pants. I'm wearing a T-shirt, my watch, boxers, socks, and sneaks. Heh, heh. Everyone will know my name by tomorrow. I'm coming in with a bang!  
  
I do this on my first day every first day. Not the same routine of course, it's different every time. Last year I walked around with my nails painted red (I borrowed Kimmi's nail polish), and my hair died pink (don't ask me where I got the die.). When people asked me about it I simply said, "I'm getting in touch with my feminine side."  
  
I got written up for it. Just like I probably will this time. I walked to school (despite the frigid temperatures) so the rest of the gang wouldn't know. I can't wait to see their faces. My first class is History, then I have Science with Kurt and Jaeger (who I later found out is on the bad side. It's a real shame though, she's pretty cute.).  
  
~  
  
Wow. I'm headed toward Science, just finished 1st period, and I'm already written up. Not bad Van, not bad at all.  
  
I walked into the classroom and spotted my fellow demon and saw the blonde sitting beside him. I walked right on over. "Hi," I interrupted their conversation.  
  
They both stared at me. Jaeger raised an eyebrow and said, "You're off your rocker."  
  
I took a seat behind Kurt. "Tell me something I don't know, Blondie," I winked at her. Girls go wild for me. I've already got three crushers from History alone. I figured that one little wink would bring her to her knees.  
  
It didn't.  
  
"How 'bout this," she gave me an innocent smile. "If you call me Blondie one more time, I'll drive a steak through your heart."  
  
Kurt, giggling, said, "Sorry, I already told about your vampirism."  
  
"Yeah, thanks."  
  
I spent the whole period flirting with her (not because I'm crushing on her, but because Kurt was flirting too.) and she dissed me every time. She didn't diss Kurt though, no, she didn't mind it when he flirted with her, and some times she even flirted back. I'm sorry if I sound greedy and spoiled, but I'm jealous. Girls love me! When I flirt with them they either flirt back, or they fall madly in love with me. Not this girl though. No, not her.  
  
I tried again at lunch. She sat with us and when that Lance guy came to bug her about it scared him off. No dice.  
  
Now, a few periods later, I'm sitting beside Jean in Art class, drawing a rose (fake of course) and trying to think of a game plan. This is my last period with that girl and I'm determined to make her fall for me.  
  
I took the rose, tucked it behind me ear, walked up to her, held me hand and said, "Dance with me."  
  
"No."  
  
She didn't even look up from her artwork. How insulting. So I put the rose in my mouth, walked back to Jean and asked through a mouthful of plastic, "Why does she hate me?"  
  
Jean shrugged. "I don't think she hates you. But ask her."  
  
So I did. I walked back over to Blondie, that plastic rose still in my mouth and I asked her, "Why won't you dance with me?"  
  
She still didn't look up. She just kept on drawing, but she answered, "I think the fact that you don't have any pants on might have something to do with it."  
  
"So I wore pants you'd dance with me?"  
  
"No. But it's a start."  
  
Fine then. Next time we meet, I'll be wearing pants. I hope she's satisfied.  
  
Anyway, after school I helped Kitty and Evan study for their semester exams, I played James Bond: Nightfire with Bobby and Jamie, and after dinner the Professor called us all in.  
  
"X-men," he said. "According to Cerebro the Brotherhood's been using their powers open and causing trouble down at an abandoned warehouse. Can I trust you take care of it?"  
  
Looks to me like I'm gonna have my first adventure.  
  
_~*~_  
  
ME: Ok, end of ch. 3! Please review for those of you haven't. I've only gotten word from Agent-G (thanks!) and I would appreciate it if someone else would give me their opinions. If you enjoyed it, or if you just wanna make a suggestion... tell me! Did you like it? Do you wanna hear more? Do you hate it? Do you think I should tear it down? Did I make a mistake here? Did I mess up there? TELL ME!!!  
  
Anyway, see ya' when I see ya'! Bye! 


	4. Ch 4 Van

ME: thanx. I'm still glad that you like it! I always will be glad that you like it. This chapter is from Van's POV only, except for at the end. I plan to give you a slight introduction to the next character, Lonna. As far Van's "shock the hell out of everyone on his 1st day of school," I still do know someone like that... but anyway, I can't reveal their name or they'd kill me. So here's chapter 4.  
  
PS: Van gets new abilities in this ch. too.  
  
Ch. 4: Vampirism  
  
Van  
  
It's late. About 11:35. We're at the warehouse. And we split up. I'm with Goth-girl, (who by the way looks really good in latex.), and Spyke-man. I still don't know what we're looking for, so I'm just following Evan and Rogue around.  
  
CLANK!  
  
What the hell was that? I'm freaking out; this place is spooky to the power of ten! I felt a gust of wind and-  
  
"Hey there vampire-boy," I heard an annoyingly cocky voice call.  
  
"Pietro!" Evan's shout echoed through the building, making it even creepier than before. He stuck out his spikes and shot them.  
  
Hey, that guy's fast. He was like, ten feet away from me, and now he's leaning his elbow on my shoulder like we're good friends. Which we're not! "Hey man," I pushed him. "Get offa me!" But he was too fast, so I ended up just pushing air, and I fell over.  
  
HOW EMBARASSING!!!  
  
He laughed an annoying little laugh and I growled. I picked myself up and threw myself at him!  
  
Nope. I fell on my face again. I need a new routine. No, I need a gun. Yeah, a gun...  
  
"Can't catch me!" he chanted. "You can't catch me! I'm too fast."  
  
Like hell he is. And it sucks too. I pulled my face out of the ground, but he wasn't there. Neither was Rogue, or Evan. Man, they ran off in hot pursuit and I got to eat dirt. Shit. Life sucks.  
  
I wandered off aimlessly, looking for my "partners" and almost smacked into-  
  
"Hey Van, I see you're wearing pants now."  
  
Jaeger.  
  
"Shall we dance?" I asked, smiling evilly. I'm gonna kick. Her. Ass.  
  
"Bring it," she said. She drew back her leg, and before I could react, kicked me in the shin. Hard!  
  
I clutched my leg in pain. Holy matrimony, she kicks like hell! OW! I thought vampires were impervious to this kind of crap.  
  
"Hey," she said. "I thought vampires were immune to pain. Cool."  
  
NOT FAIR!!! But it is kinda' funny that she didn't know either.  
  
I hopped around on one leg, trying to ease the pain, and she just turned around and walked off. Gr. She thinks she's sooooo good. All she does is kick really hard. That has nothing to do with skill. Nothing!  
  
BAMF!  
  
"Vhat happened to you?" Kurt asked.  
  
"Your girlfriend kicked me!"  
  
He looked confused. "Jaeger?" he asked. "She's not mein girlfriend."  
  
"She's a girl and she's your friend, thus being your girlfriend. Anyhow, she kicked me."  
  
He smiled. "I'm glad you two get along alright."  
  
"Yeah, right." I said, rolling my eyes. "She adores me."  
  
He teleported me back to the others, who were still duking it out with the Brotherhood. I watched for a while, but I noticed that Jaeger was nowhere to be seen. Chills went up my spine. She could be anywhere, waiting for me. Waiting to kick my ass.  
  
No, no. I'm being paranoid.  
  
The battle went good. I never saw Jaeger for the rest of the night, and the X-men creamed the Brotherhood. Life is sweet. Despite all the pain in my shin.  
  
~*~  
  
Van  
  
Today is a cold day like any other cold day in winter. I'm wearing pants now, it's lunch period, and I'm stuffing my fingers in my mouth trying not to laugh. Why? Kurt and Jaeger are having a debate over who's better. Ramstein, or Aerosmith? It started off pretty boring actually, but now it's getting really heated. Jaeger just threw a piece of carrot at Kurt, and Kurt is threatening her with a baked potato.  
  
Oh, by the way, I don't flirt with Jaeger anymore. Why? Well, she kicks really hard, and I've moved on to flirting with Rogue. Yup. I'm on a suicide mission and I'm not gonna stop until I either loose interest or get put in a coma. I prefer the first option to be perfectly honest.  
  
"Ramstein sucks, Aerosmith is what music is all about!" Jaeger yelled at Kurt.  
  
"Ja?" Kurt said, waving around the potato. "Is zhat vhat you zhink? You haven't even heard Ramstein!"  
  
"Like you've heard Aerosmith?"  
  
"I don't need to, I already know Ramstein is vaaay better!"  
  
"They sing in stupid German! Even if I did hear it I couldn't know what they're saying!"  
  
Kurt thought about that for a minute. "Ja, you have a point."  
  
I'm not eating. I wanted to bring some-dare I say it?-blood, but the Professor told me I couldn't bring it to school. Sigh. It's not fair. And I'm so thirsty.  
  
Anyway. Day two in school and already every single teacher hates me. Why? Because I'm known as "the Pants-less Wonder" by every kid in school. I think I deserve a round of applause.  
  
But that principal-what's his name? Kelly? Karin?-doesn't think so. He said, "One more act like that and I'll have you suspended for a month!" To be honest, I could care less, but the Professor tells me my parents would care very much, so I wear all my clothes now.  
  
As lunch cleared out I wove my way to gym class, which I have with Kurt. Evan and Jaeger have it the same period, just in a different gym, which is a real shame. Oh well, at least now Jaeger can't kick me. My leg still hurts from that...  
  
Evan and Jaeger were lucky. They get to play basketball. We have to play volleyball. I hate volleyball. The only good thing about it is girls in bikinis, but they don't allow that at school.  
  
At least Demon-boy and me are on the same side. A couple kids from the Brotherhood were on the other team; I think their names are Tabitha and Todd. They are so going down, even though I suck at volleyball. I'm gonna kick their asses from here to Timbuktu, and I don't even know where that is! Someplace in Africa I think...  
  
The coach blew the whistle and some kid served the ball. I watched it with intent eyes, waiting for a chance to show-off. What can I say, I like showing-off, wouldn't you?  
  
I got my chance. The ball flew over the net, right at me. I hit it as hard as I could.  
  
Score! It landed on Toad's head! That's even better than I thought!  
  
"Yo!" he yelped as the ball crashed into his skull. I laughed. Everyone on my team followed suit. "Who did that? Who? I'll kill 'em!"  
  
I waved at him. "You have me to thank for that."  
  
"What? You?" he glared at me and shook his fist. "You practically gave me a concussion! I'll get you for this Lestat!"  
  
Lestat? Hm. Yes, it does suit me, doesn't it?  
  
"Bring it on, Loser!" I dared him.  
  
I realized later that I shouldn't've done that.  
  
The game started up again. The ball came my, I ran up to the net to greet it, and-  
  
WHAP!  
  
I slid backwards on the floor. The little frog-boy punched me! I growled. I could taste my own blood in my mouth. I hate to say this, but it tasted a whole lot better than pigs' blood. I sucked on my lip a bit to stop the bleeding. The fact that it tasted good has nothing to do with it. My teammates gathered around me to see if I was ok.  
  
"Hey, are you alright?" someone said.  
  
"I'm fine, but Tolanthki won't be tho lucky."  
  
Huh? "Tho?" I meant "so." Why did I...  
  
I stood up. Kurt came up behind me. "Hey, man. Are you ok?"  
  
"No," I told him. "My lip'th bleeding, and I have a lithp!"  
  
Whose cruel idea was it to put a "s" in the word "lisp?"  
  
"Vhat happened to eyes, man?"  
  
"Huh? What about my eyeth?"  
  
"And your teeth?"  
  
"Huh?" I thrust my hands in my mouth and sure enough. I felt my canines had sharpened into long points.  
  
I ran towards the door, ignoring the coach's orders to stop. I threw myself down the hall, looking for the nearest bathroom. On my way I ran into Kitty.  
  
"Van like, what's wrong?"  
  
"I don't know." I confessed. "But I need to find a bathroom, quick!"  
  
"There's like, one just down there," she said pointing. "But what's wrong? And what happened to your eyes?"  
  
"What?" I demanded. "What'th wrong with my eyeth?"  
  
"They're all like, red and stuff."  
  
What? My eyes are supposed to be gray. They've always been gray. What's going on?  
  
"Bye," I said, bolting down the hall.  
  
I saw the bathroom and threw myself in. No one else was there. I ran over to the mirrors to see what happened to my eyes. And my teeth.  
  
Huh? Where am I? I can't see my reflection. I know I'm a vampire, but so far I've always been able to see my reflection. And I've always been able to go out in sunlight. God, I hope that rule hasn't changed. I slammed my fist down against the sink in irritation.  
  
Holy crap.  
  
I busted a sink!  
  
No really! Water is spraying everywhere, the sink is smashed up on the floor. What is going on?  
  
"Hey man," I heard a voice behind me. "What the hell just happened? Did you do that?"  
  
I turned and faced a really freaked out kid. He couldn't have been more freaked than me. I shook my head. "No, I just walked in and found it this way."  
  
What? My lisp is gone! Yes! I also stopped bleeding. I wonder if that has anything to do with it? Oh well, I'm back to normal, except for that... sink smashing thing.  
  
"Whatever man," the kid said backing away. "I'm outa here."  
  
"Me too," I said, following him.  
  
~*~  
  
Van  
  
I got back to the Institute at 4:30. I haven't told anyone about what happened. But I'm on my way to Xavier to tell him. I sent out a mental vibe- thing.  
  
~Hey,~ I thought. ~Professor? You there?~  
  
~Yes,~ came the response. ~I'm here, Van. What do you need?~  
  
~I need to talk to you about some stuff. Something happened at school today and-~  
  
~I understand. I'll see you in a minute.~  
  
So a few minutes later I was sitting on a couch beside Professor Xavier, telling him what happened. "Then I smashed my fist down on the sink and it broke. I don't know what happened. And then when I talked to that guy, my lisp was gone!"  
  
He nodded. "And you said earlier that you have suspicions about your bleeding having something to do with this."  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"Hm," he said, leaning back in his chair. "I'll have to think about this. You're free to go."  
  
I stood up. I hope he comes up with a plan soon.  
  
"Oh, and Van," he called as I approached the door. "Don't bite your lip. Just in case that does have to do with what happened before."  
  
I nodded and left, only to bump into a really worried looking Kitty. "Kurt says you flipped out in gym class," she said. "And then I like, saw your eyes. Like, what happened?"  
  
"I really don't know," I said helplessly. "I think it has something to do with me drinking human blood, but-"  
  
"Ewwww!" She made a disgusted face and backed away from me slowly. "You drank human blood?"  
  
"It's not what you think!" I tried to tell her. "I cut my lip and voila! Human blood. I didn't ask it to happen! It just... did. But anyway, I went all ballistic. Don't blame me and don't give that Oh-My-God-You're-A-Blood- Sucking-Vampire-Don't-Eat-Me look!"  
  
"Sorry," she stammered. "It's just a little creepy, you know?"  
  
Yeah. I know exactly what she's talking about. But it's even creepier for me. I'm the one drinking the blood, not them! Hold on... is that why they're scared? They shouldn't be! I would never drink human blood if given a choice! Despite the fact that it's the best thing I've ever tasted... No! Fight the urge! Must not drink blood!  
  
Man, just the thought makes me thirsty.  
  
"Well," Kitty walked off. "Bye."  
  
"Yeah," I said. "Bye."  
  
I hope I get this vampire thing sorted out soon. It's driving me crazy!  
  
~Van,~ I heard the mental vibe-thing again. ~Could you come back for a minute? I would like to have Hank run a few tests.~  
  
I turned back to Xavier's office. I didn't really like the idea of having Mr. McCoy run tests on me, but if it helps me with this problem... sure, I'll do it.  
  
~*~  
  
Lonna  
  
"Come on, Lonna!"  
  
I moaned. "Go away! Little pests."  
  
"Please?"  
  
"Fine," I groaned, hauling myself out my nice, warm bed. "What do you want?"  
  
"You promised that if we woke you up at 11:30 you'd take us out to roast marshmallows. Look! We even got the marshmallows ourselves!"  
  
I glared at the group of monsters. All nine of them. Kelly, Calvin, Connor, Libby, R.J., Jill, Andrew, Karen, and Janet. Every single one of them between seven and ten years old. I kinda look after the group. I'm the second oldest at the orphanage. I'm fourteen and these little brats look up to me, so I take it upon myself to teach them the important things in life, like how to climb trees, how to play chess, how to roast marshmallows, and most importantly, how to survive in the wild expanses of...  
  
The backyard!  
  
No, really, our backyard it huge! I mean, picture a football field and multiply it by three. Now picture half of that covered in a forest, an eighth in a lake, and the rest just wide-open space.  
  
I love adventures. I love sneaking out at night into the creepy, foggy forest. We go to our hide-away and tell scary stories. I love it!  
  
Which is why I'm helping nine other kids sneak out of the house at eleven o'clock at night.  
  
As we passed the door a band of three cats approached us. The oldest one, Sphinx, is the color of sand with black tipped ears and jade-green eyes. The middle aged one, Ginger, is a slender tabby with amazingly orange eyes. And the youngest, Leon, is a black cat with just your average hazel-gold eyes. I love cats. They're great.  
  
We ran across the yard, cats following close behind, and into the forest. We followed a small path and came to a clearing. In this clearing there is a small pile of sticks surrounded by logs for us to sit on. It was our little hide away.  
  
The cats jumped around the trees, playing with each other and chasing invisible objects. The others all sat down while I walked over to a hollowed out tree and pulled out our hidden stash of matches. I lit one and set the fire. The others opened the bag of marshmallows and began putting them on sticks.  
  
"Make sure your stick doesn't burn," I warned them. "Remember what happened last time?"  
  
"Hey Lonna," Calvin and Connor (the twins) said in unison. "Tell us a story. A scary story!"  
  
"Yeah, yeah!" the others chanted.  
  
I shrugged. "Ok, just don't scream too loud. The last thing we need is Mr. Cooger waking up again."  
  
I sat down on one of the logs between Jill and R.J. Clearing my throat I launched into one of my stories. I must admit, I tell a mean scary story. I tried not to laugh as my audience gasped and hid their eyes.  
  
"The werewolf's eyes burned with a bloodthirsty rage. It drew closer, baring its long, dagger-like teeth, waiting for the perfect chance to strike!"  
  
Grrrrrrrrrrrrr...  
  
I paused. Did I just hear a-  
  
Grrrrrrrrrr...  
  
Yeah, I did. The kids, seeing my uneasiness, started to get real jumpy. I listened intently, maybe it was just my imagination, I was getting too involved with the story. I shook my head and continued. "The young girl was trapped with nowhere to go. The wolf gro-"  
  
Grrrrrrrrrr...  
  
I stopped again. I know I heard something that time. The bushes rustled and I saw the cats leap out, running as fast as I'd ever seen them run. I'd never seen them this panic-stricken. Chills went up my spine.  
  
"L-lonna?" Andrew asked. "What is that?"  
  
Huh? What is what?  
  
I turned. Oh, that.  
  
I wasn't pleased with what I saw. The kids all ran behind me, hiding. I saw a wolf. A big, rabid, dark gray wolf.  
  
The wolf's eyes burned with a bloodthirsty rage. It drew closer, baring its long, dagger-like teeth, waiting for the perfect chance to strike. It growled at us, foam dripping from its mouth.  
  
"Guys," I warned the rest of the crew. "Don't make a move. I'm gonna count to three. When I get to three, run as fast as you can back to the house, ok?"  
  
No one said anything, but I knew the message got through. "One."  
  
The wolf crouched, ready to pounce. "Two."  
  
I was too slow, the thing lunged at me! I threw my arms up to protect myself and crammed my eyes shut. But instead of feeling teeth grip my arm, I heard a loud yelp and opened my eyes as the wolf fell to the ground.  
  
_~*~_  
  
ME: Ok, a bit of a cliffhanger, but you'll have to wait for the next chapter. Anyway, I said it once, I'll say it again, EVERYBODY, REVIEW! PLEASE!?!  
  
See ya' when I see ya'. Bye! 


	5. Ch 5 Lonna, Kitty, & Celeste

ME: Lonna lives in an orphanage on Long Island in the country. Basically in this chapter you figure out what she did to the wolf and her first day at the Institute. Van's power-problem is solved in this chapter too. Also, Lonna is 14 with green eyes and brown hair that's cut short like a boy's. Just so ya know. While I'm at it, I'll mention that Van is 16 and tall with pale white skin and gray eyes. His hair is black and put in spikes. Jaeger is 16 too and has ice-blue eyes and long, wavy blond hair that's always pulled back in a ponytail. Telling you this now because I don't think I was ever specific enough on that. Also, this is the first time I'm gonna try a little piece from an Xman's POV. Not an OC, I'm gonna try this with Kitty. Tell me if you have some suggestions on how to improve on that, ok? Also a little entry at the end for the next mutant, Celeste. Tell me what you think.  
  
PS: am I the only loser here who watches Angel? Did you see the one on Wednesday? It was the funniest thing I've ever seen! Ok, Angel's like, a puppet and he's at his desk and Spike comes in and starts laughing at him!  
  
Angel goes, "Spike..."  
  
Spike's like, "Haha!"  
  
Angel's like, "Don't..."  
  
Spike goes, "You're a bloody puppet!"  
  
Angel beat the crap out of him! And then later when they're fighting the puppet demons, The big purple one's beating up Wesley, and picks up a fire extinguisher to hit him with, so Fred pulls out a gun and shot off its eye!!! Then Wesley tore off its mouth and stabbed it with it! Then bits of fuzz came out of the purple puppet's mouth!!!  
  
HA HA HA HA!!! It was the funniest thing I've ever seen!!! (But now I've got a puppet-phobia. Too bad.)  
  
PSS (Agent G): Hey, I kept forgetting to ask you, in your story Vincent knows Karate. Do you take Karate too? I do, I'm a brown belt. Been in it for five years. In fact, just last week I was at the Dojo, talking with my friend, Jill (another brown belt) and some white belt seven-year old we didn't even know walked up and kicked her in the shin!  
  
I said, "Dude, she's a brown belt, if I were you I wouldn't go picking fights with her."  
  
He stuck his sorry little tongue out at me! I don't even know this kid! Neither does she! It was so weird.  
  
PSSS (BlackRoseApocalypse): I'm so happy you like it! Tell your friends! I don't know what surprises me most, the fact that you liked it or the fact that you actually listened to me and read it!  
  
Ch. 5: New Kid  
  
Lonna  
  
I was too slow, the thing lunged at me! I threw my arms up to protect myself and crammed my eyes shut. But instead of feeling teeth grip my arm, I heard a loud yelp and opened my eyes as the wolf fell to the ground.  
  
What just happened?  
  
"Whoa," I heard excited gasps behind me. "Lonna, what did you do?"  
  
I looked up.  
  
What the hell is that?  
  
I saw a huge, bright shield of what looked like light. It glowed a vivid shade of... well, I dunno, but I'm gonna call it purple. Behind me, Libby reached out and touched it. Where her fingers made contact the light rippled like water.  
  
My arms were still held in front of my face, so I lowered them for a better look. But as soon as I did, the light disappeared.  
  
The kids protested loudly. Even I growled in frustration, but then I noticed the wolf twitch. "Let's go," I told them and we made our way out of the forest.  
  
When we got to the house I pulled them aside. "Don't breathe a word of this to anyone or I'll make sure you never breathe again!"  
  
They all looked confused, and a little frightened of my hostile behavior. But they didn't get it. If I did that then that would make me one of those mutants people see on TV. I never had anything against them, but sometimes the kids would play "Mutant-Tag" where one person is the mutant with the super powers and is trying to catch the others. They also played games where the bad-guy is a mutant. So what would happen if I became the evil mutant. Those kids look up to me, if I become a mutant now...  
  
I waited outside a bit longer after the kids went in. I decided to do an experiment. I put my arms in the same Oh-My-God-Don't-Hit-My-Face pose.  
  
Nope. Nothing. Either I'm drawing blanks, not trying hard enough, or it's all a false alarm.  
  
I tried to convince myself it was the third one and went back inside. I wasn't pleased with what I saw.  
  
"But Mr. Cooger," they whined. "She really did beat up a wolf with a force field!"  
  
Mr. Cooger looked up at me as I came in. "Is all this true Lonna?"  
  
I glared at the little backstabbers. How could they? I told them not to tell a soul, and they go blabbing to Mr. Cooger! I saw the oldest kid here, Brad walk in. He's seventeen, and he thinks he's better than me at everything. Now that he knows something's up I'll never live it down.  
  
"Yes," I said through gritted teeth. "It's all true."  
  
"I see," he nodded. "All of you, up to bed. That includes you Brad. Lonna, you stay."  
  
Everyone walked out. I just pulled up a chair. This is gonna be a long night.  
  
"I want you tell me exactly what happened."  
  
I did. I didn't even bother lying. I've never been a good liar.  
  
When I was done with my story Mr. Cooger simply nodded and told me to go to sleep. I wonder what he has in store for me?  
  
~*~  
  
BEEEEEEEEEEEE-  
  
Stupid alarm clock. Time to get set for school. I slept through my shower, got dressed, stared at myself in the mirror for five minutes before remembering what to do with my toothbrush and stomped downstairs.  
  
Crap. I forgot all about last night. I came downstairs to come face-to-face with Mr. Cooger and some bald guy in a wheelchair.  
  
"Lonna," Mr. Cooger greeted me sadly. "This is Mr. Xavier. He runs a school for mutants. After what happened last night I think it would be wise if you went to live there for a little while."  
  
"What?" I protested. "I'm not a mutant! Just 'cause something weird happened doesn't mean I'm some freak!"  
  
The bald guy looked offended by what I said. Maybe I said the wrong thing? He looks relatively peaceful, but not like someone I wanna pick a fight with. "How do you know he runs a mutant school," I said, desperately trying to change the subject. "He might just be some scientist at a lab!"  
  
At that he smiled. "Well, I am a professor," he admitted. "But I am a mutant myself, as are my students. I have one of my students, Van with me in the car."  
  
I didn't know whether or not I should trust this guy, but I don't have much of a choice. "Who is this Van guy anyway?"  
  
"Would you like to meet him?"  
  
I shrugged. "Guess so."  
  
He closed his eyes and seemed to be focusing on something. It was a bit weird. "He's on his way," he announced.  
  
I wonder what he means by that? I was about to ask him when some guy walked in and asked Mr. Xavier, "Yeah?"  
  
Who is that- oh, I bet it's Van. "What's your 'power?'" I asked him.  
  
"I drink blood," he said as-a-matter-of-factly. "But don't worry, I only drink pig's blood. Human blood is too fattening, I have to watch my girlish figure you know."  
  
I stared at him. He's a sarcastic leech. Great. That'll make anyone wanna be a mutant.  
  
"What's yours?" he asked me.  
  
"I'm not a mutant!"  
  
He shook his head sadly. "Denial. That's the first sign of mutation."  
  
"Lonna," Mr. Cooger interrupted. "Go pack. Well, Mr. Xavier, I'll you to it."  
  
I marched upstairs before I could hear anymore. This sucks! I'm being shipped off like some... I dunno! Thing I guess! It's still not fair!  
  
I slammed the door of my room and threw some stuff in my suitcase absent- mindedly. What about my cats? Could they come? I'd have to find them first.  
  
When I was done packing I headed back for the stairs, running into R.J. and Jill. "Whazzat for?" R.J. asked. "Are you being adopted?"  
  
"No," I said, trying not to look at either of them. "I'm going to a stupid mutant-school."  
  
Jill looked confused. "Why?"  
  
I didn't answer. I just walked on past her.  
  
When I got to the bottom of the stairs I saw my cats making friends with the bloodsucker. He was bending over, petting them and stuff, while they purred and rubbed against his legs. Backstabbers.  
  
"Are you ready to go?"  
  
I turned to face my kidnapper. "Yeah, sure. Whatever. Can I bring my cats?"  
  
He thought about it. "I'm not sure that would be a good idea," he said regretfully. "Some of my students may have allergies..."  
  
"They can stay in my room!" I protested. He can take me away from my home, but my cats stay with me!  
  
"Now, Lonna," Mr. Cooger started up. "Mr. Xavier has been kind enough to take you in, don't burden him with animals."  
  
Then I'm not going nowhere!  
  
"Nah," Van said. "Cats are cool and I'm sure if they stay in her room they can't be much of a problem. Plus, if no one's allergic to Kurt I don't think they'll notice a few cats."  
  
Thank you!  
  
Mr. Xavier nodded. "But if we get too many complaints about cat hair-"  
  
"Professor," Van interrupted. "Kurt sheds all the time and not a soul has ever complained about it."  
  
Who is Kurt?! Their dog maybe?  
  
Mr. Xavier surrendered. "Alright, the cats can come!"  
  
~*~  
  
The car ride was boring. I got some advice from Van like, "Don't say bad things around Jean! In fact, don't even think bad things around Jean!" and "Stay on Wolverine's good side. Not that he has a good side, but still."  
  
Not that I know who any of these people are. Asked Van what kind of dog Kurt was, but instead of answering, he started laughing hysterically. The Professor told me that Kurt's mutation changed more than just his abilities and left it at that.  
  
Pulling up the driveway I figured out pretty quickly that this was more than a school. This mansion is like, twelve times the size of the orphanage! But the odd thing is when we went inside it was almost completely empty.  
  
"Where are all the students?" I asked as my cats followed me inside.  
  
"They're off at school," the Professor replied calmly.  
  
"How come he's not?" I asked pointing at Van. Is he some dropout or something?  
  
"They're doing exams that I don't have to take because I just got here last Saturday."  
  
Oh, ok. That's cool.  
  
"Come on! Let's go play Halo!" He tore down the hall, motioning for me to follow.  
  
I shrugged. My cats chased him. I feel a bit awkward just standing here with Mr. Xavier. So I followed him.  
  
He was sitting on the floor in front of a big TV screen, messing around with an Xbox and pulling out a second control. I sat down beside him. "How do you play?"  
  
"Pfft," he responded. "I dunno! I just run around and hit random buttons."  
  
Great. He's helpful. "So what's your power again?"  
  
"I, my dear, am a vampire. But don't freak out! I drink pig's blood. Human blood's not my thing-though it tastes really good." Ewwwww! "We just ran some tests on that yesterday and apparently the human blood triggers my vampirism. It's pretty cool 'cause then I'm really strong and I can levitate, but I can't go out in sunlight and I speak with a lisp."  
  
Right. Don't freak out. Just stay calm. I'm alone in a room with a vampire. That's cool. Right?  
  
Right!?!  
  
~*~  
  
Kitty  
  
I was the first one out of the car. I'm dying to know what was up with Van's powers and dying to meet the new student Jean told me about. But Van comes first.  
  
Actually, I kinda have a little crush on Van. Only I know unless Jean's been probing lately, which wasn't likely.  
  
I phased through the doors, followed by Rogue, Jean, Kurt, Scott, and Evan.  
  
Grrrr. Rogue. I know we've always had a sort of friendly rivalry, but I can't feel a little jealous that Van keeps flirting with Rogue and not me. I mean, Rogue doesn't have any feelings for him and yet still, flirt, flirt, flirt, flirt. But me, I have feelings and all I get is "Hey Kitty, do you where Rogue is?" It makes me so mad!  
  
Since I didn't see Van right off the bat I assumed he was playing on that stupid Xbox that he likes even more than Rogue.  
  
I was right. He was playing with the new kid.  
  
"What the?" she yelled. "That's the hundredth time you've run over me with that stupid tank! Stay still so I can shoot you!"  
  
Van was giggling like a little boy who just did something bad and was proud of it.  
  
"Can I play?" Kurt asked behind me, clicking off his watch.  
  
The two players turned around, Van passing Kurt a control, and the other girl just sort of stared. She had the Holy-Cow-What-The-Heck-Is-That-Keep- It-Away look on. Who could blame her? Kurt's nice and all but he could stand to lose some of that fur.  
  
I felt something brush my leg. I looked down and saw a little black kitten. "When did we get a cat?" I asked.  
  
"I hate cats," Rogue hissed behind me. I rolled my eyes.  
  
"Awww," Jean cooed, picking up the kitten.  
  
"That's Leon," the new kid said. "Sphinx and Ginger are somewhere. If you can find them I'll be impressed." She nudged Van. "Is that Kurt?"  
  
"Ja," Kurt smiled at her. "I'm Kurt. Who are you?"  
  
"You're worst nightmare."  
  
"Vhatever."  
  
Leaving them to their games I picked up the phone and called up Lance.  
  
One ring. Two.  
  
"'Ello?"  
  
"Hey Jaeger," I said. "Can I speak to Lance?"  
  
"If I can find him," she answered. "Just a sec."  
  
I waited a bit, then Lance came on. One thing I like about Lance is that I can always talk to him.  
  
~*~  
  
Celeste  
  
Sigh. School is out. For now at least. I now have time to myself to check emails.  
  
But something kept nagging me. Today the kids and I got on the topic of mutants. What caused their mutations, how they feel about them. Most of the little monsters admitted they were afraid of mutants, some said they didn't like them, and one of my students, Tino Glassner (A/N: he's a mutant too who pops up later on) said that he didn't mind mutants. He said, "I don't see what's wrong with them. It's not like they asked 'Can be a mutant? Please? Please?' So why should we hate them?"  
  
It was funny. Tino is one of those kids you doesn't get serious about stuff. But what he said there was focused and made perfect sense. I wanted to tell him I was a mutant, but instead I just said, "I agree. But some people are afraid of change."  
  
Yes. I'm a big, scary mutant who teaches Theatre Arts. I've been a mutant since I was sixteen. I've spent the past fifteen years of my life controlling and strengthening my abilities. My abilities aren't that special though. I heal. That's that.  
  
I scanned through my mail, deleting junk and reading anything that might be interesting. I came across one that said something about this school for mutants. I clicked it open, curiosity getting the best of me.  
  
It sounded interesting, this School For Gifted Youngsters. The man- Professor Xavier-had his phone number at the bottom. I figured I might as well give him a ring...  
  
_~*~_  
  
ME: Ta-da! That's it. What do you guys think of Celeste? She's a drama teacher. Ok, that thing with Kitty is an experiment. It's to see how well it'll work for other chapters and it also gives the reader another opinion about a person or situation. It's a character development thing. Well, you know the drill. R&R and if you like it, tell your friends! Next chapter Celeste joins the crew and pretty soon Jaeger will too.  
  
If you have any suggestions or comments R&R and I'll see what can be done. Thanx! 


	6. Ch 6 Celeste, Lonna, & Jaeger

ME: Oh, don't worry about Jaeger, she makes plenty of appearances. I only left her out a bit because I don't want the story to seem to focused around her. I need to include my other characters, but I'm glad you like her so much. In fact, she joins the X-men this chapter. Wow, one of my OC's has a fan. I'm flattered, really.  
  
Jaeger: * Bows dramatically as roses are tossed at her feet. * You like me, you really like me!  
  
ME: Oh yes, we adore you. ~Drama Queen.~ * Rolls eyes. * (Agent-G): No, I haven't stopped reading, I've just been really busy, my teachers have been piling on the homework load and everything's just a mess! I've been trying to balance reading ya'll's fics and writing my own. Plus all that school crap. I don't have time to write a decent review, and I've still gotta catch up with some of your writing, I'm afraid I'm a bit behind. But I love it, don't think I stopped because I haven't. You'll hear from me soon though, promise.  
  
Jaeger: Yes, yes, me too! Vincent's my hero! Go Vincent!!!  
  
ME: But seriously? They're discontinuing Angel? NOOOOOOOOOO!!! Sorry, I'm a very misinformed person. But I heard a rumor they're bringing Connor back. I repeat, NOOOOOOOOOO!!! Sure, they kill off Fred, and bring back Connor, the guy no one even likes! Who writes this crap? No wonder they're canceling the show! (Except that puppet thing, that was great! My sides still hurt from laughing so hard!)  
  
PS: I don't know what to do about the thing with Shadow Cat as far as doing more or none at all. One person says "Yay" while the other says "Nay."  
  
Jaeger: I say shut up and start the story already, you're drivin' me nuts!  
  
Ch. 6: Jasper  
  
~*~  
  
Celeste  
  
Life at the Institute is pretty good. I've already met all the students and I think we get along pretty well. I've been here a whole week and now most of the students have left for Christmas Holiday and now I'm left with Charles, Hank, Logan, Scott, Rogue, and Lonna. I do a whole lot of work in the lab with Hank, and I help Charles keep up with all his paper work. My hands have been full with healing the kids after session after session in the Danger Room. But they're all gone now so it's really quiet, and it seems kinda... I dunno. Different. Nothing's blowing up, no one's screaming.  
  
I like it.  
  
"Hey! Scott just sucker-punched me!"  
  
"I did not!" Scott objected.  
  
"Did too," Lonna argued. "You shot my little person's brains out!"  
  
Ok, it's not that quiet. Halo tends to do that people, or so I've heard.  
  
"Your just jealous because Scott's better than you," Rogue pointed out.  
  
"Hey, you can't talk, you're not playing!"  
  
"She's right ya' know," Scott said.  
  
"Yeah."  
  
I have to admit, there's nothing more amusing than watching Lonna getting her butt kicked in video games. Whether it's Halo, Fusion Frenzy, James Bond, or God knows what, you always end up laughing.  
  
~*~  
  
Jaeger  
  
"You really think the X-men'll trust you?" Lance yelled at me from the porch as I walked down the drive. "I tired that once. They'll blame all their problems on you! You'll never make it!"  
  
Blah, blah, blah. Shut up Lance. The X-men are my friends, so it'll be different for me. You just had Kitty, but I have the whole crew, so HA!  
  
He slammed the door shut. I just kept walking.  
  
Tabitha tried to blow me up when I told her I was going. She almost succeeded. "You'll never fit in with the geek-squad!" she said. Then when that was over Pietro gave me a hard time. He kept taking things out of my bag real fast, and then while I went to get them he'd get something else. He told me I was off the team for good. I don't care! Why do think I'm leaving in the first place dumb ass!?! God! They're all such...  
  
But now, I'm gonna join the X-men! Yay! Yippee! Yeehaw! Yahoo!  
  
Hey, I got here faster than I expected. I guess time flies when you're lost in thought. Is that why math class seems so short? Or is that just because I talk to Kurt almost the whole time? No, that's why my grade's slipping, it's short because I think too much.  
  
I wonder how I plan on getting past those gates? I reached out and touched them. I could blow off the lock, but too many people would think I was breaking in and I'd get arrested. Not exactly on top of my list of things to do.  
  
I glanced around and saw some little monitor thing people use to talk through. Spiffy. I pushed my finger on the little button and made a static sound. "Crsh. Evan, Kurt? Crsh. I'm here to join the team over. Crsh. Crsh."  
  
I waited. No answer. "Crsh. If you're ignoring me I'll crsh crsh you from here to Timbuktu. Crsh. Crsh."  
  
Nope. Nothing. "No, seriously, this not funny! Lemme in you crsh crsh!"  
  
I saw a little button that looked like it might be a doorbell. I rapid- fired. Then-  
  
"Hello? Do you need something?"  
  
Ahh. I got someone's attention. But it doesn't sound like anyone I know. Hm, odd.  
  
"Yes, I'm here to-" I looked around to make sure no one was listening in. "Join the X-men," I whispered dramatically.  
  
"Uh, ok. What did you say your name was?"  
  
"I didn't. But it's Jaeger. Can I come in now?"  
  
There was a pause. "Scott says yes."  
  
The gates opened and I strolled on in.  
  
~*~  
  
Lonna  
  
I didn't really know what to expect. Scott says, "Jaeger? It's about time." And Rogue says, "Ok, cool." Then Ms. Nolan says, "I don't think I've heard of her, have we met?"  
  
Scott waited by the door, and I snuck off to Mr. McCoy's lab. I like Mr. McCoy, he's cool. Plus, he shows me how to make stuff blow up, and I like that. Maybe I should become a professional archaist when I grow up.  
  
He wasn't really doing anything, just looking through a book and munching on an apple.  
  
"Mr. McCoy," I said quietly.  
  
He turned to face me. "Oh, Lonna! What is it?"  
  
I shrugged. My eyes darted around the room, looking for something to play around with. "Who's Jaeger?"  
  
"Jaeger? Why do you ask?"  
  
"She's here."  
  
He looked pleased. "Is she now? It's about time, I thought for a minute she'd never come around!"  
  
Not helping. "But who is she?" I pressed.  
  
"A friend," he said bluntly. "Let's go and greet her. What say you?"  
  
I gave an exasperated sigh and followed him out of the lab. I was always a bit edgy about meeting new people. When I first got to the Institute I had a hell of a time trying to remember who's who and what's what around here. To be honest, I liked it better when it was just me, Scott and, Rogue. But most of my better friends like Rahne, Van, and Jamie left, which is a real shame. But I get along with the rest of the masses too. (Except Logan, he scares the crap outa me!)  
  
Again, I didn't know what to expect. But her name made her sound, oh, I dunno, tall, preppy, speed-demon. On the track team with six boyfriends at a time. Not that I'm making assumptions, but...  
  
Well, what I saw didn't fit my description at all. She was pretty, medium height, long, wavy blond hair pulled in a ponytail. She was pretty relaxed, looked a little bored even. I noticed that Mr. McCoy left my side to go and greet her, so I followed.  
  
He shook her hand. "Well, it's about time, what took you so long?"  
  
She shrugged. "I dunno. Slow on the uptake I guess."  
  
I wonder what her power is. If it's anything like mine then it won't matter, I can't use it. Ok, see, as it turns out, I am a mutant. I make some funky shield thing pop up. It's actually pretty cool, except I always use it at the wrong time. For example: Jamie and I got in a Throw-Pillows- And-Other-Harmless-Objects-At-Each-Other War. He was winning due to the fact I was greatly out numbered. Then, all of a sudden, my shield thing started and I couldn't turn it off! See, it's like having a big bubble around you. So when it was time for everyone to go home for the holidays, I couldn't say goodbye because the bubble wouldn't let me out the door. So everyone leaves and I'm still stuck in a war zone! It stayed on for another hour before turning off. (I couldn't get into the bathroom and I really had to pee!) Then, later Scott took me to the Danger Room for the first time. Some razor thing flew at my head. I tried to make it work, the shield thing, but it didn't! Thank God for Scott though, he blew it up with his eyes! It almost sliced off my head! I owe him my life!  
  
I haven't gone within five feet of the Danger Room since. Can you blame me?  
  
I found myself looking out the window, watching the snow fall while Scott showed Jaeger where her room was.  
  
"Hey Rogue. Wanna have a snowball fight?"  
  
"No."  
  
Man, it's so boring without someone like Rahne, Van, or Jamie to play with.  
  
~*~  
  
Jaeger  
  
Man, it's so boring without someone like Evan, Kurt, of Bobby to mess around with. This place is practically empty! There's nothing to do, no one to talk to!  
  
But at least I got to take a nice, warm shower. At the boarding house the water's either cold as ice or it's dirtier than you are! What kinda shower is that? But here... heh, heh, heh. I burned myself it was so hot! I didn't wanna get out, but I had to 'cause I was getting really hungry. I still am hungry which is why I'm sitting in the kitchen eating an apple.  
  
I felt something bump my leg. Awww! They got cats! It was a little black kitten. It stared at me with big, curious eyes. I bent down and stroked it.  
  
I'm not sure why, but I feel like using the phone. I guess I could call Leena. Or Mom. Or maybe...  
  
I could try calling Dad. (A/N: do you remember Jaeger saying she had her dad's number just never called him. I think it's somewhere in ch. 1.) If he even lives in the same place anymore, which I doubt. But at least it's something to do.  
  
I ran upstairs and went through my stuff, searching for what might make life great or awful.  
  
Aha! I found it!  
  
I bolted back downstairs and held the phone to my ear. I gently pressed the buttons.  
  
281...  
  
I crossed my fingers.  
  
389...  
  
Please be there.  
  
4657...  
  
I heard a ring. One... two... three...  
  
"Hello," I heard the emotionless voice of a guy on the answering machine. "This is the answering machine. No duh! We'll try to get back to you if you leave a message, but chances are we'll forget. So cross your fingers."  
  
BEEEEP.  
  
I sighed. The message machine. The voice sounded about my age, so I don't think it's Dad. I guess I'll just hang up-  
  
"No!!!! Wait, I'm here!" It was the same voice on the machine, but he was panting like he'd been running a lot.  
  
"Uh, hi," I said.  
  
"Hi," he panted. "This is Jasper. Can I help you?"  
  
Why not? "I'm looking for Mr. Hallett."  
  
"That's my Dad."  
  
What? "Alan Hallett. He's your dad?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
Holy-! I have a brother!!! Or at least a half brother, I-I don't know what to say. "Can I talk to him?" I choked out.  
  
"He's a bit busy right now, can I take a message?"  
  
"What did you say you're name was?"  
  
He sighed. "Jasper. Can I take a message or what?"  
  
"No, I'll call back later."  
  
"'K."  
  
I hung up. I need to talk to the Professor. Now!  
  
~  
  
I tapped on the door. "Professor?"  
  
"Yes?" he asked. "What is it? Come in."  
  
I poked my head through the door. "Uh, see, I was uh..."  
  
"You can tell me," he assured me. And for some weird reason, I did.  
  
"I was trying to call Dad, see, 'cause I've never met him before, and-"  
  
That's how the whole thing went. When I was done he nodded and told me he'd look into it. I'm guessing he's using that, what's it called? Cerebrum thing. Isn't that a part of your brain? Oh well, whatever floats your boat, man.  
  
~  
  
I was humming along to my Areosmith tunes when the Professor called me with his creepy mind thing. ~Jaeger,~ he said. No! He thought. ~I would like to see you in my office.~ (A/N: I don't know what he calls that place, sorry.)  
  
~Uh, ok.~  
  
When I got there he was looking on some screen thingy with a funny looking hat on. I stifled a laugh. "You wanted to see me-mph!- Sir?"  
  
He removed his hat. He smiled at me. I think he knows I thought he was funny. "Jasper, the boy you spoke with earlier, is indeed your brother. Your twin brother."  
  
"What!?!" Ok, brother maybe, but twin! Why didn't Mom tell me? How come he got to leave when I didn't?  
  
"Your brother is a mutant as well," he continued. "I wanted to ask you if you'd like him to come."  
  
I was still getting over the shock of having a twin. "Yeah," I sputtered. "Sure!"  
  
He smiled again. "I'll call him." He turned to pick up a phone.  
  
"Wait," I said. "Can I?"  
  
His smiled widened. He passed the phone to me.  
  
I dialed.  
  
~  
  
"Sure," he said happily. "I'll come!"  
  
We had been formally introduced and had been talking for the past hour. Jasper's cool. He lives on a ranch in Texas, how cliché! "Great!"  
  
"So what's your power?"  
  
"Here's a hint," I said. "My codename's Panzer."  
  
"Codenames? How cool are ya'll secret agents?" He didn't even let me answer. "Are you a cat? Panzer, panther. Makes sense to me!"  
  
"No, I blow stuff up."  
  
"Really? What's that got to do with panthers?"  
  
"Nothing!" I laughed. "I didn't come up with it, I dunno what panzers are!" (A/N: A panzer is a tank in German.) "What's your power?"  
  
He paused. "Well, see..."  
  
"It's ok," I told him. "I want it to be a surprise."  
  
"Would yah hurry up," Rogue snapped behind me. I jumped almost three feet in the air. "I need to use that so we can order pizza!"  
  
"Uh, sorry," I apologized. "I gotta go. I'll see you tomorrow!"  
  
"But-"  
  
I hung up on him and passed the phone to Rogue. "Sorry," I told her. "That was my brother."  
  
She looked at me funny. "But I thought you didn't have-"  
  
I took off. I wish Kurt and Evan were here, then I could tell them all about this! Can you believe I have a brother? Me and the Professor are gonna pick him up tomorrow! Yes!  
  
Tomorrow, tomorrow,  
I love ya', tomorrow!  
You're only a day away!  
  
_~*~_  
  
ME: Well, that's that. Chapter six is complete! Jasper's gonna join the crew. Oh, just b/c he lives in Texas, doesn't mean he talks like Rogue. We Texans may be southerners, but we don't have Rogue-ish accents. I'm not being stereotypical, I've got nothing her voice.  
  
Oh, please review for those who aren't, and tell me who your favorite characters are, that way I can add more or less depending on the demands of the masses.  
  
(Agent-G): expect a review soon, I love your fic, it's awesome! Don't ever think otherwise or I'll decapitate you and feed your lifeless carcass to a herd of half-starved turkeys!!! Vincent rools!!!  
  
Jaeger: I concur!  
  
ME: What are you doing here? Go away!  
  
Jaeger: you hate me! I'm so unloved!  
  
Van: Don't worry Jag, I still love you.  
  
Jaeger: Oh, piss off! 


	7. Ch 7 Jasper & Jaeger

ME: Have ya'll ever noticed that I'm one of the few writers who puts pointless chatter up here for no reason other than I feel like it? Do you find that annoying or amusing? Hm, the world may never know. I discovered I was on some of ya'll's Author Alert lists. All I have to say is thanks for likin' my stuff and if you haven't reviewed yet... DO SO NOW!!! The writer commands you!!!  
  
(Agent-G): Really, you find my threats colorful? I'm flattered. But trust me, that feeding people to turkeys is one of my less threatening threats. Also, I hope you don't mind but I put one of Vincent's sayings on my profile under my all time favorite quotes section. You can see it there. You might as well read the whole friggin' thing cuz it's pretty funny.  
  
Sigh; anyway, I need to acknowledge some inspiration I had for the character Jasper. To be honest... he's based off my horse, Jasper. He's a bit slow (mentally) and as stubborn as, well, a horse's ass, but at the same time is a sweetie who really just wants to eat carrots. And run so fast you fall off his back... but anyway; Jasper's a huge (16 hands to be exact), dapple-gray gelding, (The horse dude, not the fictional character!) thoroughbred. He doesn't race, but if you held a carrot in front of his face he'd break the sound barrier. No, really!  
  
Jasper: I'm not a horse, don't worry.  
  
Jasper: Neigh!  
  
Jasper: Stupid animal.  
  
ME: Confusing, aye?  
  
Jaeger: I have fans! Go me!  
  
Van: I have a fan or two myself, thanks.  
  
Lonna: I need to be more involved, I haven't done much yet. No one likes me.  
  
ME: Don't worry, I have plans for you.  
  
Jaeger: We love you.  
  
Lonna: Really? Thanks!  
  
Ch. 7  
(I gave up naming chapters cuz I can't think up any good titles.)  
Jasper  
  
Ok, lemme get a few things straight. You cannot call me Tex, I don't have a southern accent, I wouldn't be caught dead wearing a cowboy hat and boots, I don't like chili, (Barbeque is pretty good, but normally we eat spaghetti or pizza.) and I can't stand country western music!!! We Texans have lives too ya know! I do play the guitar, but not a country guitar, I'm talking rock-and-roll! Hard rock-and-roll. I also play the harmonica, but I've never been to prison. The only "Texan" thing I do is ride horses. Been riding since I was four. I don't ride them to school-though that would be a treat-nor do I ride bulls and broncos in the rodeo. I don't even ride in the rodeo period. I ride English, not in those big western saddles. I live on a barn, yes, but cats are a danger to society and I'm deadly allergic. I love dogs and horses though.  
  
But not cats.  
  
"Shoo," I waved my hand at the feline menace. "Scat you!"  
  
It sat between me and my saddle. It looked so content just sitting there, basking in the sun, and washing its stupid little paws.  
  
"Beat it you!" I threw a pebble at the creature. It hissed in response, making me back up a few paces. Stupid animal, why won't it move?  
  
"Having trouble with Rosie?" Gram asked behind me.  
  
"Maybe."  
  
She walked over and picked it up. "Rosie"-as the monster is called-purred happily.  
  
"Show off," I muttered as I walked past her.  
  
She smiled her innocent, old-lady smile. "You just have to be a cat person."  
  
"Pfft. Yeah, right. That'll be the day."  
  
I picked up my saddle and set it on my horse, Midas. I tightened the girth and pulled out his bridle. I didn't bother with a helmet. They don't fit over my horns.  
  
"That's the mutant-boy I told you about," I heard one of the rider, Katie telling her friend. Oh, sure. Let's all poke fun at the mutant. It's not like I asked to look like a... this!  
  
I growled and the two girls gasped and jumped away. I tend to have that affect on people. Maybe it's my eyes. All four of them. Or maybe it's my tail, or my wings. I could never figure that out.  
  
I hope my sister doesn't mind.  
  
~*~  
  
Jaeger  
  
I wonder if he looks like me? I wonder what his power is? I wonder what he's like?  
  
"Professor? What's his power?"  
  
Professor X smiled at my eagerness, but shook his head. "I told you to see for yourself. Try to be patient."  
  
Patient? Yeah, right. Sure. Cause I'm the most patient person in the world. "Just gimme a hint," I pleaded.  
  
"We'll be arriving in ten minutes. Surely you can wait that long."  
  
I shook my head so hard I got dizzy. "No, I can't! Tell me now!"  
  
He said nothing. Damn.  
  
We got there in ten minutes, just like Mr. Xavier said we would. The barn was nice. Horses everywhere, and lots of people riding. I always wanted to ride a horse, but Mom was twisted (I'm sure I've mentioned that before.) and told me horses live to make life Hell. She told me that when I was four, so when I told her that she used a bad word she got pissed off and...  
  
But I'm happy cause I'm gonna meet the brother I never had! Or didn't know I had. Something like that.  
  
This place is huge; I dunno where to start looking. So I looked at the horses while Professor X talked to an older lady who looked like a professional rider. She was teaching a class or something.  
  
Aww, the horses are so pretty. I approached a big black one that was standing in its stall and stroked its nose.  
  
"That's Seth," a voice said behind me. "I get to ride him today."  
  
I turned around and faced two young, excited looking girls. I smiled at her. Maybe she could tell me where Jasper is.  
  
"Hey do you know Jasper?"  
  
"Mutant-boy?" she asked. "He's over there. But I think he's in a bad mood. He was growling at us earlier."  
  
"Why?" I tried not to laugh. Growling?  
  
"He's just weird," one of the girls said. "I've never met him before, but Katie says he's feral."  
  
"He is."  
  
"Uh, right."  
  
I slipped away to go find my growling brother. This should be interesting.  
  
Whoa. I guess that's him...  
  
He was tall (about a half a head taller than me), with huge dragon-like wings growing out of his shoulder. He had horns sticking out of his forehead, small, one-inch spikes running down his spine, a lion-like tail, and horse-like ears. Oh yeah, did I mention the incredibly large claws! Instead of fingers this guy's got talons! We don't look anything alike, except we both have blond hair.  
  
Oh, he'll get on great with Kurt.  
  
I approached slowly. If those girls were serious when they said he was feral, then those claws could do a lot of damage.  
  
I cleared my throat. "Uh, hi."  
  
He looked up. "Yeah?"  
  
"Jasper right?"  
  
"Yee-up."  
  
I smiled. "It's me, Jaeger!"  
  
He smiled from ear to ear. His tail lashed happily back and forth like dogs do when they're happy. "It's about time, what took ya?"  
  
"The Professor and I fought over who got to fly the jet," I joked.  
  
"Ya'll have a jet?" he looked astounded. Who wouldn't be, if someone has a private jet they're a god.  
  
"Professor X does, I can't fly it yet. I get to start training when the other students get back."  
  
His eyes widened, and then... he opened a smaller pair of eyes right bellow his other ones... creepy.  
  
"That is soooooooo cool!" He yelled. The horse beside him started and he quieted down. "How fast does it go?" he whispered.  
  
"I dunno, probably real fast."  
  
"Can I try?"  
  
"Not until I do first."  
  
"I'll fight you for it."  
  
"Bring it, but don't scratch me."  
  
"Ok."  
  
There was an awkward silence as we thought of what to say.  
  
~*~  
  
Jasper  
  
There was an awkward silence as we thought of what to say.  
  
I like her so far. We've only been talking like, two minutes, but so far, she's cool. She got all the looks though. Lucky, she doesn't have horns and wings. Well, actually, wings are pretty cool. But at least she doesn't have horns.  
  
We just kind of stood there for a while. Me holding Midas's reins, she looking around at things.  
  
"Why are you talking to him?" Katie sneered. Great. Why can't she go away?  
  
Jaeger shrugged. "Cause he's funny lookin'."  
  
Is she kidding or being mean?  
  
"He's scary," Katie argued.  
  
"He's cool," Jaeger fought back.  
  
"But why him? You can come hang out with us."  
  
"No, three's a crowd, but two suits me just fine."  
  
"But he's-"  
  
"Cool, yes, I know."  
  
"He's not cool he's feral."  
  
"Do you even know what feral means?"  
  
"Yes!"  
  
"Good, cause he's not feral."  
  
"He's a freak!"  
  
My turn to jump in. "Sticks and stones, they break my bones, but whips and chains excite me."  
  
They all gave me weird looks. I smiled with satisfaction. Katie and her little buddy left. Jaeger raised an eyebrow. "Dude, do you know how perverted that just sounded?"  
  
"Yup."  
  
"You sounded like a dominatrix or something, which is really... yeah. Wrong."  
  
I shrugged. "I scared 'em off didn't I?"  
  
"I'll give you that."  
  
I looked at Midas. "Have you ever ridden a horse?"  
  
"No."  
  
"Well, you should. How long'll you be staying?"  
  
She shrugged. "Until the Professor's done talking to your dad."  
  
"Do you wanna meet Dad?"  
  
She looked a bit, oh, I dunno. Nervous I guess. Who wouldn't be? I mean she's never met the guy! I'll probably feel the same when I meet Mom.  
  
"Um, why don't you show me around?"  
  
Fine then, I'll let her avoid it for now.  
  
~  
  
I showed her everything. I took her up to my room, down to the stables, through the back pastures, and under fences. When there was nothing to see I offered her the chance to meet Dad again and again she evaded the question entirely and said she wanted to see me ride. Now how could I say no?  
  
So I rode Midas and she watched me. She told me things like, "Go jump that fence!" and "Go faster!" So I did. I rode for another hour.  
  
~  
  
"Just say 'Hi,'" I urged her. "He's a nice guy, honest."  
  
"I'll talk when I feel like talking!"  
  
"Talk now before we have to go!"  
  
"No!"  
  
"Look, he's right through that door, either you go out there and talk or I'll beat the tar out of you with this." I held my guitar up threateningly and shook it to get my point across.  
  
"I have to pee."  
  
"No you don't!"  
  
"How do you know?"  
  
"I'm psychic."  
  
"Fine, but I'm blaming you when I pee my pants."  
  
"Just go!" I pushed her out the door of my room and followed her into the hall where my dad was talking to the Professor.  
  
I put my stuff down. We'll be leaving in five.  
  
I hope my sister warms up to Dad.  
  
~*~  
  
Jaeger  
  
I wanted to meet him, I really did...  
  
Just not right then.  
  
Mom's a pisshead. And to be honest, I was a bit scared Dad would be too, and not like me.  
  
I was wrong. Oh boy, was I wrong.  
  
Dad's great and I officially hate Jasper for getting the better parent. But I forgave him when he told me I could stay with him here next summer and Dad promised to teach me the basics of horseback riding.  
  
Then, he asked about Mom. "How is she?" he asked.  
  
I couldn't tell him she's some prostitute who's always half drowned in whiskey, it wouldn't be right. So I said, "She's great, but you've got it better than she does."  
  
It's half true. Close enough for me.  
  
Then we had to leave. I've never felt so sad in my life.  
  
The flight home was fun though; Jasper and I talked the whole time and I told him all about the kids at the Institute and everything! It was great; I think we'll be fighting like normal brothers and sisters next week. I can't wait!  
  
I think he's the best twin a twin could have.  
  
_~*~_  
  
ME: I'll say it again, REVIEW NOW!!!  
  
Also, don't expect to get another chapter for a while, I'm going skiing this spring break so no chappies during that time.  
  
PS: (Agent-G and BlackRoseApocolypse) Please don't write too many chapters while I'm gone (if you're not going anywhere I mean) because then I'll have to catch up with all that reading and I'll never get to write my fic! Thanx!  
  
Jaeger: Day Tripper is a Beatles song yo! I can't figure out what the new character's power is!  
  
Van: Here, here!  
  
Lonna: No one likes me! Don't I have one fan out there?  
  
Celeste: Don't worry, I'm the same way but I never complain.  
  
Jasper: I'm new so I doubt anyone likes me one bit.  
  
Jaeger: That's not true! We love you!  
  
Jasper: *Blushes* Aw, shucks.  
  
Van: Bashful aren't we?  
  
ME: Bye! (Vincent, don't forget to kick Van's ass!)  
  
Van: No! 


	8. Ch 8 Van & Jasper

ME: Tah-da! I'm alive! Were ya'll worried? ...I didn't think so. Sorry this chapter took me so long but I've had mountains of homework, got a new video game, and I've been sick. I also went on a vacation for Spring Break! It was a blast! We went skiing in Durango, Colorado! I went snowboarding the first day, but switched later 'cause it was excruciatingly painful. And I couldn't get off the stupid lift without falling... Hey! It's harder than it sounds! But anyway, then I switched to skiing, and that was fun. We've been skiing for Spring Break every year for the past seven years, so I know what I'm doing.  
  
Lonna: Tell 'em about getting run over!  
  
ME: Oh, yeah. We went skiing with my friend and her family and her little sister RAN OVER ME!!! It hurt like freakin' hell!!! I was skiing, doing my parallels, nice and smooth... then I see a flash of green and purple jacket and BOOM! I'm on my ass, missing a ski, and in excruciating pain! She didn't even apologize! She goes, "Well you were in my way."  
  
I wanted to strangle the little...  
  
It took me ten minutes to get my ski back on.  
  
Jaeger: Ouch.  
  
ME: Yeah.  
  
Van: Hey Dark Angel! Am I you're favorite character? Do I have a fan?  
  
Jaeger: Yay! You finally have a fan!  
  
ME (Agent-G): Sorry bout the country/continent mix-up. I was checking emails and thinking about US History notes I was supposed to study over spring break at the same time. It mentioned country expansion and Canada so I meant continent, but it came out as country. US History can do that to people. That's why it's evil.  
  
(Dark Angel): To be honest, I didn't know you went by Van. Van is based off a combination of my cousin and a friend of mine. But hey, that's still cool! I like it when people can relate to my characters.  
  
While I'm at it, I'll mention that Jaeger's based off a combo of me and two of my sister's friends. Well, I kinda count them as my own friends too.  
  
Celeste is based of my aunt and my mother.  
  
Lonna's based off two of my pals.  
  
I already mentioned Jasper's based off Jasper. (The horse.)  
  
Oh, a question for all of you: Do ya'll actually read this crap? I mean, I don't know most of you and yet here I am, typing about my life...  
  
Jasper: That's ok, life is interesting.  
  
ME: Really? NAT, REVIEW!!!  
  
(Don't ask, NAT just needs to review. She reads, but neglects her duties as reader by not reviewing. Keep this up NAT and you're fired!)  
  
Chapter 8  
  
_~*~_  
  
Jasper  
  
This place is huge! I love it! The only bad thing is... the cats! That stupid black one follows me around and tries to eat my tail! I haven't stopped sneezing!  
  
At first I didn't get along real well with Lonna because of the cats. But I forgave her when she taught me the "Sacred Art of Halo." I kicked Jaeger's ass!  
  
She was all, "Dammit! You shot me!"  
  
I was all, "Yeah!"  
  
Lonna was all, "No, that was me. Jasper shot a wall."  
  
Sigh. Good times, good times.  
  
I strummed my guitar, trying to pick up a good beat when Jaeger burst in.  
  
"Dude!" she yelled. "They're coming back!"  
  
"Who?"  
  
"Everyone! Come on! You gotta meet 'em!"  
  
I put my instrument down on my bed and let her pull me downstairs. The others were waiting for the arrivals too. I saw a car pull up in the driveway and a tall, dark-haired guy step out. He waved as the car pulled away and came up the steps.  
  
~*~  
  
Van  
  
My life is ruined. My mom hates me, my dad hates me, my brother hates me, even Kimmi hates me! Why? Because when I told them, "I'm a vampire," they got real freaked out and didn't talk to me for the rest of my break. I hung out with my old friends, and since they didn't know it was fine. But there's something about when you're family no longer thinks of you as family that all the good stuff just doesn't matter anymore.  
  
But hey! I'm back baby! People like me here, I can be happy here, and maybe if I play my cards right score a date with Rogue.  
  
I noticed Jaeger inside and next to her a... hmmm. What is that? I ignored him and focused on Rogue. I could ask questions later.  
  
"Rogue," I opened my arms to embrace her. "My darling, you look good enough to eat!"  
  
She pulled away. "Wha' do Ah look like? A blood bank? Git away from me!"  
  
I heard a snicker. What, does the demon-boy think I'm funny? Cool, I like him.  
  
"And you are?" I asked him.  
  
"Hi," he said.  
  
"Hi Van," Jaeger greeted me.  
  
"Dija miss me?"  
  
"Uhhh... you know it?" she said, trying not to hurt my feelings and doing a terrible job.  
  
"Didn't think so. So when did you finally decide to break away from the Dark Side and come over here?"  
  
"About two days after you left."  
  
"Ok, cool." I looked back at "Hi." "Who's he?"  
  
"Stupid."  
  
"I am not!"  
  
"Then introduce yourself!"  
  
He held out his hand to her. "Hi, I'm Jas-"  
  
"To him dumb ass!"  
  
"Oh." He turned back to me. "I'm Jasper."  
  
We shook. "Van," I said. "Van the Vampire Man."  
  
"Uh-huh." He nodded slowly. He had this bored voice that made him seem completely disinterested in everything. His face had this real calm expression that said, "Quick! Call an ambulance, you're boring me to death!" and that voice just adds to the whole thing.  
  
"When'd you get here?" I asked him.  
  
He shrugged. "Last week."  
  
"What's your power?"  
  
"Scaring the shit outa small children." He smiled mischievously. "Sometimes I manage to frighten an adult or two."  
  
"Cool."  
  
"You guys are so boring," Jaeger complained. "I'm gonna go talk to Scott."  
  
"Bye!" I waved at her and Four-eyes laughed again. "I'll miss you!"  
  
"Whatever."  
  
"You really a vampire?"  
  
Huh? I turned to Jas. He was smiling like an idiot, but still sounded bored. "You betcha. Those horns real?"  
  
He looked up at them and nodded.  
  
"Nice."  
  
~*~  
  
Jasper  
  
Van's cool I guess. He could cut back a bit with the flirting in my opinion, but he's still a nice guy. I just hope Rogue doesn't kill him...  
  
"Jasper!" Jaeger yelled at me from across the room. "Come on!"  
  
I walked up to wait for more people to show up, Van followed me.  
  
"She your girlfriend?"  
  
"Huh? Wha..."  
  
"Jaeger," Van said. "Is she your girlfriend?"  
  
"No...she's my si-"  
  
"Dude, there's no need to be shy about it." Van ran his hand through his hair a couple times. "You should be proud to get a girlfriend like her when... well no offense... but when you look like that... girlfriends can be hard to come by."  
  
"But-"  
  
"Fine man, say what you want. I'll keep this between you and me." He winked at me (kinda odd...) and stood by Rogue.  
  
Weirdo.  
  
We watched as some more people came, Jaeger introduced me to her friends Bobby, Evan, and some German guy.  
  
"Hey Kurt."  
  
"Guten tag." He looked me up and down and smiled. "I'm Kurt."  
  
He held out his hand for me to shake when-  
  
"Ah! My demonic brethren!" Van threw an arm over the poor guy's shoulders. "May I introduce to our long lost demon-brother, Jasper?" He threw his other arm over me.  
  
"Ja... zhat's very nice." He tried to get away but Van held strong. "I've got some unpacking to do so if you'll excuse me..."  
  
"But you just got here," Van argued. "Relax, get some food, and maybe help me get a date with your sister...?"  
  
"Ja right," Kurt said rolling his eyes. "No offense man, but even if I tried I couldn't get her to go out vith you. You know zhat."  
  
"Hey." Van jerked his head at me. "If he can convince Jaeger to be his girlfriend, you can get-"  
  
"Vhat!?" Kurt exclaimed. "You're dating Jaeger!?"  
  
"No! She's my-"  
  
"Dude," Van yelled over us. "Take it easy! It's ok to have a girlfriend."  
  
"Are harassing my-" Jaeger started.  
  
"Boyfriend! No. I'm-"  
  
"Kurt's not my boyfriend!" she argued.  
  
"Duh, if I couldn't get you to like me Kurt doesn't stand a chance."  
  
"Hey! Zhat's not true mein friend!"  
  
"I was talking about Jasper anyway. Your boyfriend."  
  
"Dude," she said. "Jasper's my brother."  
  
"... You're joking, right?"  
  
"No."  
  
Van looked at me. Then he looked at Jaeger, and back at me again. He nodded slowly. "I see Jaeger got all the looks."  
  
Gr. I raised an eyebrow. Van threw his arms around Kurt's and my (A/N: or would it be Kurt's and mine? I never got that...) shoulders and started walking around the Institute, hauling us with him.  
  
"Can I go unpack now?" Kurt asked.  
  
"You need something to eat," Van told him.  
  
"I'm really not hungry," Kurt shot back.  
  
"But are you relaxed?"  
  
"Ja, can I go unpack now?"  
  
"Are you sure you're not hungry?"  
  
"Yes!" Kurt was starting to turn red. "May I go unpack now?"  
  
"Are you feeling alright? You look a little flustered."  
  
"I'm fine!" He looks a little pissed, not flustered. "Let me go unpack!"  
  
"I think you should go see Miss Celeste about-"  
  
Before he could finish his sentence, Kurt hit a few buttons on his watch and- BAM! Blue guy right there! Then- BAMF! He was gone in a puff of smoke! I couldn't believe my eyes. "Whoa..."  
  
Van was waving his hand around, trying to chase off the smoke. "Man, I hate it when he does that!"  
  
"I think it's cool!"  
  
"Not as cool as vampirism." He stopped waving his hand and smiled. "See ya later, I gotta get Rogue to go out with me."  
  
He left, calmly walking to where Rogue and everyone else was. I wasn't gonna join him at first, but then I pictured him flirting with my sister, so I followed. For her sake.  
  
~  
  
I got my first holo-watch yesterday! It's just like Kurt's! It is sooooooooooo cool! I spent all day turning it on and turning it off! Not even Jaeger could recognize me! It's great! No one even knew it was me, with an exception of the Professor of course. He knows all.  
  
So anyway, last night I had my watch on, and I started flirting with Kitty, this real cute girl. Well, I freak her out normally, but with my watch on...  
  
I had me girlfriend for five minutes! That's a new record.  
  
Then I turned my watch off and scared the crap out of her. I wonder, will she ever speak to me again?  
  
But now, last night's over and I'm currently in the back of Scott's car next to Evan (with my watch on, of course). Van was supposed to come with us, but he said, "No, I got a surprise."  
  
Scott went, "I hope you're wearing pants this time."  
  
Pants this time? Boy, does this guy have a reputation or what?  
  
"We're here," Scott announced.  
  
Wow, this place is big... I wonder how many times I could get lost in a place like this...  
  
Eventually we found the girls and when Kitty asked where Van was I went, "He's walking to school."  
  
My sister rolled her eyes and Kitty sighed, "What's the Pants-less Wonder got planned for us this time?"  
  
Ok, I'm scared now. The guy freaked me out before, but this whole no-pants- at-school idea is just disturbing.  
  
...  
  
Well, it's not pants, but...  
  
They guy just walked up to us, and whacked Kurt with a plastic sword.  
  
"Ouch! Vhat zhe..."  
  
"Nice skirt..." Jaeger seemed to be having trouble not laughing.  
  
Van looked insulted. "It's not a skirt! I'm a gladiator! See the sword, the shield, and this really cool helmet?" He fiddled with it.  
  
"Zhat hurt..." Kurt rubbed the back of his head.  
  
"Sorry," Van shrugged. "Must be that vampire super-strength coming into play here."  
  
"This is so embarrassing," Rogue hid her eyes. "Ah hope no one Ah know sees me with him."  
  
"Here, here," I agreed.  
  
Jaeger started toward class. "Maybe if I walk away slowly..."  
  
Everyone followed suit. Well, not me. I don't where my classes are. So I turned to ask Van, but the gladiator-boy was already halfway down the hallway.  
  
Guess I'll just have to play this by trial and error...  
  
No, that's a math class. History. Science. But no English! What's up with that!?!  
  
I crossed my fingers-No! Claws! As I rounded the corner, hoping my class would be there.  
  
It wasn't, but this is just as good.  
  
"Oh hi," she said. "You wouldn't happen to know where the English class is, would you?"  
  
My brain turned to mush. Is it just me, or are things getting a little hot in here?  
  
"N-n-no..." I managed to stutter. I spread my wings (that thankfully no one can see cause of this cool watch-doohicky) just a little bit so I wouldn't start sweating.  
  
"I'm new here," she continued.  
  
"M-me t-t-too."  
  
She cocked her head. "Are you feeling alright? You look a little pale."  
  
"I'm f-fine," I ran my claws (that, again, no one can see) through my hair; a habit of mine I do when I get nervous.  
  
She nodded slowly. "Well, I'll see you later, I guess..." She started walking away.  
  
"W-wait!" I called to her. "I didn't get you name."  
  
She smiled. "I'm Regan."  
  
"Oh, yeah. Me too."  
  
"You're name is Regan?"  
  
"Huh? Uh, no! I'm Jasper."  
  
"Ok," she backed up a bit.  
  
I laughed. Not because I found something funny, but because I'm just so nervous. She walked away and I felt like a total idiot! I completely choked up! I've been in this school one day (not even that long!) and I'm already in love!  
  
Hold it! Didn't she say she was looking for the English class?  
  
I ran to catch up with her.  
  
"Oh," she said when I ran up beside her. "Hi again."  
  
"I'm looking for English too." I looked down at the floor. "Who do you have? We might be in the same class."  
  
"I've got Mrs. Torno," she said.  
  
I smiled stupidly. "Me too!"  
  
"Great," she said. "Now I don't have wander around like an idiot all day."  
  
Sigh... I'm in love...  
  
~  
  
I don't know how we found the English class, but we sat next to each other and made obnoxious comments about everything the teacher said or did. It was a blast!  
  
Sigh. But now that's over and I have Chemistry/Science/whatever they call it here with Jaeger, Kurt, and Vampire-boy.  
  
Since Kurt was already sitting next to Jaeger, and some other girl was sitting next to Van, I sat at the table to right of Jaeger's table next to some girl with a pierced nose. (A/N: if any of ya'll remember [and if you do, get a life!] in the second chapter, when Jaeger chose to sit with Kurt because her other option was a girl with a pierced nose... Sorry, I had to throw that in there) I would've sat next to that Chinese guy, but the teacher, Mrs. Sullivan had everyone partnered with the opposite sex. I wish Regan was here...  
  
This sucks. We're doing some genetic outcomes thing, we flip coins and stuff to determine what our child would look like... you get the idea. Kurt's over there flirting with my sister, and Van's scoring points with his lab partner(I think he just got her number), and my partner's trying to flirt with me. I'm talking to Jaeger, Kurt, and Van though. Trying to ignore her. I think she's a slut, but maybe I'm being too harsh.  
  
Van adjusted his funny lookin' hat and randomly asked my sister, "Jaeger, where do babies come from?"  
  
She gave him a funny look. "Uh, mothers."  
  
Van flipped his coin. "Where do mothers get them?"  
  
She said bluntly, "Sex."  
  
Everyone within earshot (about six tables) burst out laughing! It was so funny!  
  
"You're gonna be such a blunt mozher!" Kurt laughed.  
  
Van collected himself and said, "You're kids are gonna be like, 'Mommy, where do babies come from?' and you're gonna say, 'Mothers.'" Laughter. "Then they're gonna say, 'How do mommies get them?' and you're gonna say-" More laughter. "You're gonna say, 'Sex!'" He laughed harder. "But since they're just little kids they won't know what sex is," He banged his fist on the table, still laughing and turning red. "So they're gonna say, 'What's sex Mommy?' and you're gonna say, 'I'll demonstrate with your father.' And! And!"  
  
He couldn't finish he was laughing so hard. Everyone was! Van, the pale gladiator, was redder than a lobster, and poor Jaeger was laughing and shaking her head in embarrassment.  
  
But she stopped as soon as she saw Mrs. Sullivan standing over her. "What is the meaning of this?" she asked, tapping her foot on the floor.  
  
Everyone was still laughing when Jaeger said, "We're just discussing how being an honest parent can affect the lives of your children."  
  
"You caused quite an uproar," she growled.  
  
"It's what I do," Jaeger choked out before breaking down and having another laugh-attack.  
  
Mrs. Sullivan didn't seem as amused. "I'm writing you up." She looked Van: The Gladiator up and down. "You too."  
  
"No need, Mary," he said lazily (I guess her first name's Mary then). "I've already got detention tomorrow."  
  
"Why am I not surprised?" she asked before slithering off.  
  
So we did our science stuff as quietly as possible (though not too quiet) and had a relatively good day at school.  
  
I can't believe I just had a good day at school! Did I really say that?  
  
_~*~_  
  
ME: Ok, I know I cut a little short at the end there, but this chapter was getting a bit long, so...  
  
Van: I shall rule the empire!!! *Whacks D-m-n-w-t with plastic sword and waves shield around like a maniac.*  
  
ME: Oh take that costume off! It's fine for a story, but please just... You're embarrassing me! (Kurt's right, that does hurt...)  
  
Kurt: Ha! I told you! *BAMF.*  
  
Van: I ain't taking off my cloths in fronta' you!  
  
ME: ...Go away and change!!!  
  
Van: *Snorts and walks off, dragging his sword on the floor.*  
  
Jaeger: Can you kick him out of the story? Please?  
  
ME: No, go away.  
  
Jaeger: Oh come on! You know you want to! The story'll be so much better with him gone.  
  
Van: *Upstairs changing.* I can still hear you, Poopsie!!!  
  
Jaeger: o.0 Did he just call me Poopsie...?  
  
ME: Here's a stick, go stab him. *Hands Jaeger a sharp, pointed stick.*  
  
Jaeger: ( Yay!!! *Skips around happily, waiting for unsuspecting Van to finish changing.*  
  
Van: I'm done... *Comes back downstairs, wearing normal cloths.* Hey, what's that stick for...? HELP ME!!!!! *Runs from Jaeger like his life depends on it. Which it does...*  
  
ME: *Watches as they chase each other away.* ...Good riddance. Anyway, you know what to do! R&R!!! Tell me what you think!  
  
ESPECIALLY YOU NAT!!! 


	9. Ch 9 Jasper, Jaeger, Regan, & Steven

ME: Hello. I'm a happy person. Except for the fact that I can't beat this one stupid bastard on my video game!!! NAT, help me! And review! You keep saying, "Oh, I like your fic, write more, more!" Well guess what!? I'm gonna throw my shoe at your head if don't review! How do I know you even read this shit? Oh, Dark Angel, you review too! Or at least get your sister to review. She was all, "Ok, I'll review. Do you want a long review or a short one?" I went, "Long." She acts all like she's gonna do it, but I haven't seen a review from you since what? The fourth chapter!?!  
  
Then she tells me, "I'll have a one page typed, double-spaced, 12 point Times New Roman font." Well guess what!?! Still no review!  
  
(BlackRoseApocolypse): I'm glad you read all this crap. It makes me feel special to see/hear/whatever other people read it. Now I know I don't put it up here for nothing.  
  
(Agent-G): Holy matrimony! Someone skated over your hand!?! *Winces and begins to twitch.* Ouch!  
  
Van: Yes, that sounds very painful. By the way you took my line. "Holy matrimony" is my phrase.  
  
ME (Agent-G): How could you not like skiing!?!  
  
Jaeger: For the same reasons you do I guess.  
  
ME: Huh?  
  
Lonna: ...? I didn't get that either.  
  
Jasper: *Dreamily, not paying attention.* I wonder what Regan's doing right now...  
  
Van: *Stares at him.*  
  
ME: Anyway... My computer's been having spasms lately so this may get in later than it should. The last chapter was just late because of my own foolish problems but this time I blame the computer! It took me 20 minutes to check three emails!!!  
  
Van: You don't get a lot of emails then do you?  
  
ME: ...I'm so not speaking to you now.  
  
Van: Fine.  
  
Ch. 9  
  
Jasper  
  
Are we really supposed to eat this? Is meat really supposed to be green?  
  
"We don't really eat this," Jaeger clarified for me. "We let the trash can feast on it. We stick to apples. We figure even the lunch ladies can't screw those up."  
  
I nodded. My first school day is still good for a school day, but I admit that I almost changed my mind when I saw the color of this Mystery Meat.  
  
"Oh hey, Jasper," a familiar voice sent fissures (not shivers, fissures) up my spine and right back down again (even to the tip of my tail).  
  
I spun and found myself facing the most beautiful face I've ever seen! Regan...  
  
Jaeger elbowed me. "Introduce me."  
  
"Oh, uhhh," I began shakily.  
  
Jaeger rolled her eyes and held out her hand. "I'm Jaeger. Jasper's sister."  
  
I nodded. "Uh, yeah. M-my s-s-sister." I laughed stupidly.  
  
She smiled. "I'm Regan. Hey, can I sit with you guys? I'm trying to avoid getting too involved with certain... groups." She glanced over her shoulder at a group of guys. They didn't look too friendly. One guy resembled a frog and another guy could pass as a sumo wrestler.  
  
"Oh them?" Jaeger nodded with understanding. "Please sit with us! I just hope you don't mind our own group. We sit over there," she pointed to where the other X-men were waiting for us. Evan just threw his pudding at Van who ducked and laughed uncontrollably as it hit the guy behind him. The guy made some threatening gestures and Van hit him with the sword. "We're a little immature," she said, gesturing to Van. "But we're better off then they are. Go ahead, we'll catch up."  
  
As Regan walked toward the table Jaeger elbowed me again. "You've already got yourself a girlfriend?"  
  
"Well, ya see, I, um," I started.  
  
"Oh whatever, let's go sit."  
  
So we did, first disposing of our... I'm still not sure if this is meat... but we got rid of it anyway!  
  
I took a seat beside Regan, Jaeger wedged between Scott and Evan, and Van began beating Kurt with his chunk of plastic.  
  
"Vould you cut zhat out?"  
  
"I'm giving you a haircut."  
  
"Vhat? Vith a plastic sword?  
  
"Uh, yeah."  
  
Regan looked uncomfortable. Who could blame her? She's sitting next to a gladiator who's beating someone to death with a plastic weapon! But she hasn't run away yet, bless her heart.  
  
"Well, well, well," said a shadow that fell over our table. "We have two traitors today." Van stopped harassing Kurt so you know something's up.  
  
"Hi Lance," Jaeger droned.  
  
"You know this guy?" I asked her.  
  
She stuck out her tongue at him.  
  
I'll take that as a yes.  
  
~*~  
  
Jaeger  
  
"Do that again," Pietro warned. "And I'll have to-rearrange-your-pretty- little-face." He spoke so fast I had trouble separating the words.  
  
"Go ahead then," I dared him. "Punch me. But I'm warning you, I spit!"  
  
Van stood up. "Avast!" he yelled and swung his sword around at them.  
  
"Uh, Van," Scott corrected. "That's a pirate."  
  
A new guy I hadn't seen before poked his head out from behind Fred. "Uh, Regan?" he asked nervously. "Let's go before there's any trouble, ok?"  
  
He was Chinese (I think, though his eyes weren't shaped like almonds like most Chinese people) with hair that was long in the front, but short in the back and had blond highlights scattered in it, short, kinda skinny, had glasses, looked actually pretty cute, but he was with the biggest assholes ever known so I didn't take much liking to him.  
  
"Whatever," Regan muttered, standing up.  
  
"Wait," Jasper protested. "You don't have to listen to that jerk."  
  
"He's kinda my stepbrother," she told him.  
  
"Oh..." Poor Jasper.  
  
"We still have to deal with another friend of ours," Tabitha hissed. "There's no avoiding trouble."  
  
I stood up now. I curled my fingers into a fist and punched my other hand. "Bring it."  
  
Scott stood up beside me. "If you have a problem with her you have a problem with us too."  
  
Thanks for backing me up. The others nodded in agreement and though Jasper doesn't know what's going on he nodded harder than anyone else.  
  
"Just name the time and place," Pietro smiled evilly.  
  
~  
  
The time. Now. The place. Right here. It was never officially agreed on, but Van took care of that when he hit the guy I didn't know with his sword.  
  
The new kid flinched and waved his hands wildly in the air, knocking Scott's glasses off and hitting Tabitha in the jaw.  
  
As Scott scrambled around for his shades, the other kids made a circle around us began chanting, "Fight, fight!"  
  
Van picked up on it pretty quick. He was kicking ass with that sword, and blocking anything else with his shield. I was impressed.  
  
Evan and Pietro went for each other.  
  
Scott took on Lance (I think they have a history).  
  
Kurt and Todd were about to kill each other.  
  
Jasper tried to take on Fred, but there's a limited amount of Jasper and an unlimited supply of Fred, so things weren't exactly looking good.  
  
I'm not sure what that other guy's doing. He's waving his arms like a maniac, standing in the middle of all this yelling, "Oh God, oh God!"  
  
The rest of us girls watched. I really wanted to help Jasper out, but none of the other girls did anything but cheer for the guys, so I stuck to that.  
  
Oh, hold up! Go Regan! Now I can help too! She just walked up the Fred and punched him in the face! He dropped Jasper, looking dazed and confused, while Jasper just cocked his head at her. She said something to him, I couldn't make it out over the other kids' screams, but judging by the way he blushed, it wasn't anything bad.  
  
But, Fred just got beat up... now who can I help?  
  
Evan seems to be taking a beating. And I also kinda owe Pietro a punch. I ran up the little bastard, but he saw me coming while he dodged one of Evan's fists so he grabbed my shirt collar when I got close enough. Evan gave me this What-are-you-doing-you're-just-a-defenseless-girl look. I realized though, as much as I despise that look, he's right.  
  
Except...  
  
As Pietro drew back his fist, I spat at him.  
  
He dropped me right then and there, looking all sorts of surprised.  
  
"Told you I spit!"  
  
Tabitha appeared behind Pietro and gave me a weird look. "She spit on me!" Pietro wailed. "I cannot believe you just spit on me!"  
  
Tabitha—to my surprise—started laughing hysterically. I was about to join her, but then she said, "I can't believe you had to resort to spitting!"  
  
Pietro glared at me and Evan gasped, "Are you ok? I thought he'd kill you for sure!"  
  
I shook my head. "I'm fine, but thanks for worrying."  
  
Pietro stood up and growled, "I'm outa here."  
  
He and Tabs left, then the rest of his posse left, that new guy and Regan included.  
  
~*~  
  
Regan  
  
I hate these losers. That's why I gave Jasper a hand. Or fist.  
  
I like Jasper. Very cute. Very, very cute. I just wish he was more comfortable around me. He always stutters but I can't figure out why. At first I thought he was just one of those people who stutters because it's how they talk, but Jasper doesn't do it around his friends or his sister.  
  
"Dude," my stepbrother, Steven popped up beside me. "What was that about?"  
  
"Don't ask me creep," he told him. We normally get along ok, but I'm in a bad mood right now. I had been enjoying myself, hanging out with non-mutant people like me. It's not that I'm anti-mutant, it's just that... I guess I just feel more comfortable with normal people. Steven's a mutant, but I'm not.  
  
"Fine," he said, trying to sound angry. "I hate you too!"  
  
He left and asked Tabitha. I zoned out after that. After about two minutes he came back and said, "They knew that girl. She's a traitor."  
  
"She's Jasper's sister," I told him sharply.  
  
"Is he your boyfriend?"  
  
"No!" Or at least not yet anyway...  
  
"You don't like me much, do you?"  
  
I couldn't give an honest answer. Our parents only got together last month, and then his mom died in a car crash a week after. Dad went into this mental breakdown and he sent us away. Now somehow we ended up living in some boardinghouse with a group of losers. Steven and I hardly even know each other.  
  
"I've got gym," he said glumly.  
  
"Me too," I said.  
  
He perked up. "Finally we have a class together!"  
  
Yeah, whatever.  
  
~*~  
  
Steven  
  
Regan clearly doesn't think much of me.  
  
???  
  
I can't figure out why. I haven't done a thing wrong. Sometimes I even turn into cats for her so she'll smile. She loves cats. I tease her about being half cat sometimes.  
  
I try to pal around with her. I think it's because I already lost Mom, Walter can't take care of us because he broke down and sent us away. Regan's real sensitive about that. Just like I'm sensitive about Mom.  
  
"Everyone in push-up position!" the coach yelled.  
  
We all did. I spotted Regan's boyfriend on the other side of the gym. Regan and me don't have the same gym so this class doesn't count as one together.  
  
"Down!"  
  
"One!" we all chorused.  
  
We got to nineteen then some guy thought it would be funny to shout out seventy-nine instead of twenty.  
  
The coach stopped us. "Because of your friend Mr. Hoenstein here, you'll have to do another twenty push-ups."  
  
I heard cries of, "Van you suck!" and "You're gonna get yours Hoenstein!"  
  
Actually he looked pleased.  
  
!!!  
  
Whoa, that's the same guy as the gladiator! Nice! I owe him a punch! Well, now I owe him two...  
  
"Today we will be playing basketball!" the coach continued to yell. "Get in groups of four or five!"  
  
We all assembled our teams. Naturally I was with Toad and Tabitha, but there were a couple other people I didn't know.  
  
Gladiator-boy teamed up with Regan's boyfriend and that German kid. Then two more people joined them.  
  
"This should be interesting," Tabitha muttered. "Us against the X-Geeks."  
  
???  
  
"The who?"  
  
"The X-Men," she said.  
  
"I still dunno who they are."  
  
"They're losers," Toad growled in that annoying New Jersey accent. "We can take em."  
  
"Uh, ok."  
  
~*~  
  
Jasper  
  
Those creeps keep giving us death glares. What's their problem?  
  
"Ve might have anozher fight on our hands," Kurt said, motioning toward the evil people from lunch.  
  
"Too bad I could bring my sword to gym class," Van said.  
  
I nodded. "I'll get that short kid with classes."  
  
"I'll get that cutie," Van said, pointing to Tabitha.  
  
Kurt rolled his eyes. "Vhatever. I'll take Toad."  
  
The kids (both girls) behind us were all like, "Do you guys not get along well or something?"  
  
Van smiled as he said, "Are you kidding? We're like family!"  
  
They nodded with a we-know-you're-lying-but-we'll-go-along-with-it look on their faces.  
  
So we started playing. We did ok, but none of us are basketball experts here, so it's not like we were whooping them so bad they hadn't even scored yet. In fact, they were winning by two points until Van stole the ball from Tabitha by knocking her over. He passed it to Kurt and we were tied.  
  
Tabitha growled at him as she sat there on the ground. "You'll pay for that," she swore.  
  
Van licked the tip of his finger and touched it to his ass, making sizzling noises. "Too hot for you." He walked in this weird I'm-so-good way.  
  
Kurt and me were laughing. The other girls looked embarrassed. Tabitha was still making feral noises. And everyone else on her team gave us you're- gonna-get-it looks.  
  
Van started moonwalking now. "I didn't know you could do that."  
  
He smiled. "I am a man of many talents. Don't forget it."  
  
"Ve von't," Kurt said.  
  
"You better watch your back, Lestat," Toad-boy growled. "No one messes with us and gets away with it."  
  
"I think I just did." He's rubbing it in now.  
  
"Van," I muttered. "You're taking this too far now."  
  
"Ja man," Kurt said nervously. "Let's just play zhe game."  
  
~*~  
  
Steven  
  
***(A/N: that's a sign of frustration or anger. Remember that.)  
  
I could punch him now. I could punch three times. Once for assaulting me with a sword, again for making everyone do an extra set of push-ups, and lastly, for pushing Tabitha. He deserves it. He's a... "Bastard," I said out loud.  
  
He looked insulted. "You're right. I have no father. Why must you bring up the past!?! WHY MUST YOU!?!"  
  
"Well, I, uh..."  
  
"Forget him," Toad said. "He's messing with your head."  
  
He started mock crying. I knew it was all fake, but he's a good actor. I have to give him some credit.  
  
The German started telling him to cut it out and play the game while my sister's boyfriend was flirting with the girls on their team. He's unfaithful. I don't like him.  
  
When "Lestat" (I wonder where that comes from) finally pulled himself together we got back to our game. Tabitha got revenge by throwing the ball at his head and making him fall over. It was weird, his lip started to bleed and he went, "Thit, thit, thit!"  
  
The others asked if was ok and then he said, "Thure, jutht a little cut. Nothing to worry about."  
  
I swear his eyes turned red! Normally they're just kinda this grayish color, but now they're red! And his teeth... Is it just me or did those things transform into fangs or something?  
  
Actually, one of the girls on their side asked him, "Van, are you ok? Your eyes are all red..."  
  
He went, "Thure, I'm fine. It'th nothing."  
  
She went, "Van, you're teeth..."  
  
He went, "What'th wrong with em?"  
  
"They're huge..."  
  
"Tho?"  
  
"Uh, ok." She walked away.  
  
After that we got whooped. Mostly by Van, it's like everything—His speed, his strength, everything—got enhanced or something. It was kinda creepy.  
  
"Who'th got mad thkills?" he shouted after they won. Then he slammed the basketball into the floor like football players do after they score a touchdown, and he put a crack in the floor!  
  
!!!  
  
I was like, Holy shit! That's not right!  
  
Then he went, "Uh, oopth..."  
  
I don't know what's wrong with him, but it sure isn't right...  
  
_~*~_  
  
ME: Ok, that's that. Cutting it short cuz I have something funny (and creepy at the same time) to tell ya'll, but first...  
  
Next chapter I can either build on Kurt and Jaeger's relationship (Will romance blossom? Dun, dun, dun!), or I can introduce a new character. R&R to tell me what you think. Wait, since kinda already read, wouldn't it just be R? Just like a tootsie pop, the world may never know...  
  
Now, here's that weird stuff. You don't have to read it, but if you have nothing else to do, or if you have a twisted sense of humor like me... read it. Otherwise, scroll down. Ok, I'm just telling ya'll about 2 dreams I had a few nights ago...  
  
Dream 1:  
  
I was just sorta... outside walking down this road that spit out at the end like a T. When I got to the split I went left. Why? I dunno. But I did. So anyway, when I got to the end of that, I found a big lake with this huge rose sticking out of the middle. It was on fire and I thought, Oh, that's so sad... So I went back and tried the right this time. I saw a small cabin with someone sitting on the porch in a rocking chair. There was an old man, so I went over to him. We had a nice little conversation and then this creepy lady comes up to me and says, "There a normal people in this world, and there are strange people. Be careful because you can never tell which is which." Then her face started to change from this to that and back again. I thought, I take it you're a weird one? Then the old man says, "I have a confession to make. I one of the strange people. But don't be afraid! We aren't bad, we're just different." I said, "Ok, that's fine." Then someone I know from karate class (a teacher) comes up to me and she says, "I'm one the strange people too." You would have to know her to find that as funny as I do.  
  
That's the end of the first one, here's the next.  
  
Dream 2:  
  
I was sleeping in my bed and then I woke up. (hey, that's how it happened, I don't care how corny that sounds!) I looked at the clock and I realized, "Oh my God! I'm gonna be late for Japanese class!" So I jump out bed and start to get dressed. Then I remember, "Duh! We have a long weekend, there's no school today!" So then got back in bed when Rogue walks in. She says, "Wake up Jaeger! The Professor needs you, Bobby, and Jean to help him open his restaurant today!" (Apparently, I was Jaeger.) "Ok," I moaned and got outa bed. When I went downstairs Bobby and Jean were waiting for me. Jean went, "Come on! This place has to open by tonight." Bobby went, "Yeah!" I went, "Why?" They never did answer my question. Instead we went outside and found the Professor waiting for us. The restaurant was sorta odd looking. It was shaped like a square, but one side looked like came right out of a video game! I looked like Greek ruins, it had the huge columns coming up and everything! It had this odd bluish- green color to it. The other side looked like... well, concrete. This side didn't have a roof, just a platform. The whole thing was surrounded by a moat, but there was a bridge on one side that led to a field. It was really cool. Prof. X goes, "Jaeger, I want you and Bobby to spread these newspapers on the floor." He handed us stacks of newspapers. "Jean, keep the ghosts away." "Ghosts?" I asked. He goes, "Yes, we can't have them at our crawfish boil, can we?" "Oh." So me and Bobby went and spread newspapers on the floor. Jean scared ghosts away and everything was fine. So then the whole thing starts... It was fine at first. Little kids tried to teach me how play Yu-gi-oh, but it was too complicated. Then Bobby comes up to me and goes, "We got a problem!" So he rushes me to a pool table where there are two guys playing pool with bowling balls. They were I a huge fight and were getting ready to chunk the bowling balls at each other! Jean was trying to break it up, but they weren't listening. One guy threw a ball at his nemesis, so I blew it up. (Which is weird, Jaeger can't blow something of that size up.) Then they got pissed at me, Jean, and Bobby. "You're gonna get it!" they threatened. We didn't care. We went back to doing stuff. Then we hear a scream and we see the two men turning into giant robot/sentinel/gundum things! They had guns and everything! One of them shot a tranquilizer at Jean, so I blew it to pieces. Then they tried to step on Bobby and- I woke up.  
  
Creepy huh? 


	10. Ch 10 Van & Jaeger

Van: I should kick Jaeger's ass. Why let her push me around?  
  
Jaeger: Because I have a piece of wood in my hand.  
  
Van: Crap.  
  
ME (Darky): Whoa... that's a lot of reviews... they say the same friggin thing!  
  
Here's my response:  
  
"Whoopdy-fuckin'-do."  
  
There is a huge difference between reviewing, and reviewing! I like to hear what people think, but I swear... something's gonna burn...  
  
I'm glad you like my stuff and took all that time to write all those things, but... just watch out. I got a friggin gun and I'm not afraid to use it!  
  
I quote, "I want to eat rice, I'm hungry." What the hell is that!?! Normally, I wouldn't care, but right now you owe me 15 minutes of my life back, I'm not in a good mood!  
  
"Lalalalalala" What the hell do you mean by that!?!  
  
"I hate haircuts." Well congrats! Now I know your weakness, don't go out alone! Snip, snip, snip!  
  
(Agent-G): I'm not pissed at you or BlackRoseApocolypse. Thanks for giving me a decent review.  
  
Steven's power hasn't been mentioned directly yet, it's fine if you missed it because you didn't miss a thing. Some people could learn a lot from you... You're my hero.  
  
(Supergirlhv): I'm so glad you like it! I'm not mad at you either. Just that evil Darky (I know who you are by the way). I only had 18 reviews before, now I have friggin 58! How creepy is that!?! I'm also pleased to hear that you can relate to my characters. I love to hear that my characters remind my reviewers of themselves. I think it makes them more realistic. More human. ('Cept Vampire-boy.)  
  
(Fire Inu): Not mad at you either. I'm glad you approve of Regan and Jasper. You'll just have to see what happens then won't you? ;-)  
  
But I'm gonna decapitate that little review crazy fucktard!  
  
GRRRRRRRRRRRRR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  
  
Anyway, chapter 10.  
  
_~*~_  
  
Chapter 10  
(Darky): (One review only. Better yet, don't review at all!) (I would celebrate, but I'm busy polishing my gun. Me and Trigger Happy got  
a date with a rabid reviewer...;-)  
  
Van  
  
"Hey... Look at that."  
  
"What?"  
  
"That. There's a dance Friday. Good time to get to know your girlfriend."  
  
"She's not my girlfriend..."  
  
"Sure she's not. You just keep tellin' yourself that."  
  
"You're so annoying."  
  
"Tell me something I don't know."  
  
"Make me."  
  
"I can, don't mess with me."  
  
"Why not?"  
  
"I'd kick your ass."  
  
"Oh."  
  
"...Gonna ask her?"  
  
"No."  
  
"Why the hell not?"  
  
"Because..."  
  
"You're afraid you'll choke up right?"  
  
"Maybe."  
  
"Dude, who cares! Just go up to her and say, 'Will you go to the dance with me on Friday?'"  
  
"It's not like that—"  
  
"Oh, yeah. You're right. It'd go more like, 'W-w-will you g-go—"  
  
"Dude, if you don't shut up... Look, I can't be held responsible for my actions ok?"  
  
"Vhat are you guys doing?"  
  
"Having a one-on-one," I told him. "There's a dance on Friday and Tex is too scared to ask his cute little girlfriend out."  
  
"Don't call me Tex."  
  
"Fine. Farm-boy. Farm-boy is too chicken to ask Regan to go with him."  
  
"Vhy?"  
  
"I'm leaving."  
  
"No you're not," I told him and grabbed his shoulder to hold him still. "You're gonna march over there and say, 'Regan, dance with me.'"  
  
"Easy for you to say," he said. "You could ask any girl in this school to go and she'd say yes."  
  
"Not true. Jean's with Scott, Kitty's with Lance, and Jaeger's with Kurt—"  
  
"Vhat? No she's not!"  
  
"Not yet. Anyway, Regan belongs to you and if I ask her you'll kill me—"  
  
"Vhat do you mean 'Not yet?'"  
  
"I mean you haven't asked her for the same reason Jasper isn't asking Regan. You're too friggin scared. By the way, can I get permission to ask Rogue?"  
  
"I'm not scared mein friend."  
  
"Then ask her."  
  
He didn't answer. Jasper was looking around the hallway for an escape. I was trying to make Kurt talk. Sigh. Busy, busy.  
  
"Can I ask Rogue to go with me?" I decide I'd bug him later.  
  
He looked surprised. That's insulting. Just cause I'm one of those guys who has every girls' phone number doesn't mean I'm disrespectful. I have a younger sister too. She hates me... but I still wouldn't want some punk to ask her out without my permission first.  
  
"Ja, ok."  
  
"Thanks man. Jasper, Kurt wants to ask out your sister, is that—"  
  
"I never agreed to zhat!"  
  
"Dude," I said, getting really annoyed really fast. "Look, I'm doing you a favor here. Ok first you just charge up and start interrupting our conversation and now I can't even get a word in edgewise."  
  
He shut up.  
  
"Can Kurt have your sister?" I asked Jasper.  
  
He waved his hand, completely unfocused. "Sure whatever."  
  
I turned back to Kurt. "Ok. I'm done. Got anything to say?"  
  
"Vell, I don't like zhe vay you referred to it as 'having' his sister. Vhat if she doesn't like me?"  
  
"That's when you get down on your knees and beg. If that doesn't work, knock her out and force her to go with you."  
  
He looked at me like I was some lunatic (and maybe I am) and ran off. I turned to talk to Jasper but realized he wasn't there. Crap. They left me behind. I've been abandoned!  
  
NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!  
  
~*~  
  
Jaeger  
  
"Are you going to the dance with anyone?" Clay asked.  
  
"Not yet," I answered. You can never be too obvious. If you let a guy know you're interested then they lose interest. Simple as that.  
  
But seriously, hang two or three posters in this school and the whole place knows about the damn dance in five minutes!  
  
"Well, I don't have a date yet either," he said.  
  
So friggin' ask me! God! I like Clay and all, but good grief! Quit taunting me!  
  
Clay's cute. The usual, brown hair, dark eyes. Tall. I like Clay. He sits next to me in History.  
  
"So anyway," he stared. "I was wondering if—"  
  
He was cut off by the sound of the bell. Shit. Life's a bitch.  
  
"Later." He left.  
  
Fine then! Who needs you? ...you think he'll try again later?  
  
I stepped into math class. God, this is gonna be a long day.  
  
"Guten tag."  
  
"Hey Kurt."  
  
"Have you heard about zhe dance yet?"  
  
"Uh-huh."  
  
"Are you going vith somevone?"  
  
"Not yet." Why does he care?  
  
We didn't say a word to each other for the rest of the class. Kurt seemed a little bit jumpy. Not sure why though...  
  
After math I went to my locker to get stuff for science, like usual. Kurt came too to wait for me, like usual. But he watched me the whole time. It was really... creepy. He was like a guard dog.  
  
"Hey Jaeger," I heard Clay say. I turned around to face him. Yes! He came back!  
  
"Hey," I said back.  
  
"I was wondering if—"  
  
"Ve vere just going to science class," Kurt cut in. "She can talk later. Busy, busy."  
  
I could hit him! What does he think he's doing?  
  
He grabbed my wrist and dragged me all the way to science class! I protested the whole time, nut he just wouldn't let go! It wasn't until we were halfway to class and I threatened to file a lawsuit for sexual harassment that he finally stopped and let go.  
  
"What the hell are you doing!?!"  
  
"I vas, um... looking out for your best interests."  
  
"Well I hope you have a real good lawyer Kurt! I'll see you in court!"  
  
I tried to walk past him, but he got in my way. Then he gave me those puppy- dog eyes. "Zhis is probably a really bad time to ask you zhis, but vould you go to the dance vith me?"  
  
I couldn't believe my ears! First he chases away Cay, and then he drags me all the way to science (forcefully, might I add), and now he wants me to go out with him? What is he on?  
  
But how can I say no? He's giving me the puppy eyes! I'm a sap for the puppy eyes! This isn't fair. I should punch him right now!  
  
But, again. How can I say no? He's the best friend I've ever had! I can't just say no! "Give me three good reasons."  
  
He smiled. I just gave him a chance. (Hey, it's not a yes, it's not a no, just in-between.) "Vone, because I asked first. Two, because Clay's a jerk. And three, ...I like you..."  
  
Ok, one, Clay was about to ask, but you interfered. Two, Clay's a really sweet guy, you're just jealous. And three, ...as a friend right?  
  
I heard the late bell ring. We still just stood there staring each other down. I want to say no, but I can't. I'm just defective that way. "Fine," I surrendered. "But later, I'm kicking your ass."  
  
He smiled real big. He looked so proud of himself it was almost funny. Almost. "Zhat's great!"  
  
"Yeah, can we go to class now?"  
  
~*~  
  
Kurt was a very satisfied person. He had a date for the dance, and now Van couldn't bug him about being a coward.  
  
As he and Jaeger entered science, they both got written up (again, now they had detention together too), and when they sat down Van prodded Kurt for information.  
  
He mouthed, 'Did you ask her?'  
  
Kurt nodded.  
  
'What did she say?'  
  
'Yes.'  
  
Van gave him a thumbs up then leaned forward and whispered, "I asked Rogue and she hit me. But I haven't given up just yet."  
  
"You're a desperate man. A very desperate man."  
  
Van winked. "I know. Jaeger, you and Kurt are a cute couple."  
  
"Shut up," she growled. "I hate both of you."  
  
"Why do you hate Kurt?" he asked. "What did he do?"  
  
"Kurt's a very sorry man who's gonna get his ass kicked after school."  
  
Van looked surprised. "Did you blackmail her?" he asked Kurt.  
  
He shook his head. "I just kept zhat bastard Clay avay form her."  
  
"Clay's not a bastard!"  
  
"Yes he is," Van agreed. "He had a girlfriend last week. He seduced her, screwed her, and dumped her. Kurt saved you a lot of humiliation and pain. You should thank him."  
  
"I can't picture Clay doing anything like that."  
  
"Ask Debbie. She was his last victim."  
  
"I will," she responded, but sounded less confident than before.  
  
"You can also ask Vicky, and Sarah, and Katie, and—"  
  
"Ok, Clay's a bastard! I get it!"  
  
Kurt smiled. "So you're not mad at me?"  
  
"No, I'm still pretty pissed. Not because of Clay anymore, but that was sexual harassment."  
  
"Whoa," Van said, giving Kurt the next-thing-it'll-be-rape look. "You sexually assaulted Jaeger?"  
  
"Nein!" Kurt exclaimed. "It vas more... it vas out of zhe goodness of my heart. Doesn't that mean anyzhing to you?"  
  
"Maybe," she said.  
  
"Kurt's a molester! You're no better than Clay!"  
  
"Nein! Zhis is not funny anymore!"  
  
The girl sitting next Van had been listening in on the whole conversation and was beginning to feel uncomfortable. She did not like where this was going. "Van, this getting creepy. What if Mrs. Sullivan hears?"  
  
"Kurt, you better not go raping my sister," Jasper joined in. "Or there'll be hell to pay."  
  
"Kurt couldn't rape me even if he wanted to," Jaeger said.  
  
"I don't vant to!"  
  
"Liar!" Van shouted a little too loud.  
  
"What is going on at that back table?" Mrs. Sullivan snarled. "Do I have to send you all too the office?"  
  
"Mrs. Sullivan," Van called back. "Kurt should be arrested! He rapes babies and kills puppies!"  
  
"Vhat!?!" Kurt shouted. "You need help! Don't listen to him, he's crazy!"  
  
She signed some papers. "Both of you, Mr. Kelly's office. Now!"  
  
_~*~_  
  
ME: Hate to leave you hangin' but I just got this cool idea! It's a way to introduce my new character, Skyler (evil person), and build relationships between characters! It's so cool!  
  
Van: I bet you molest chipmunks too!  
  
Kurt: Shut up! I'm gonna kill you!  
  
ME: Anyway, this chapter got in quick because not only did I have very little homework, but it's a shorter chapter too! Score for me!  
  
Jaeger: *Whispers to D-m-n-w-t.* Just don't like, make this dance have lots of slow songs. I don't want to dance to that....  
  
ME: *Smiles evilly.* Beware my tormenting power as a writer.  
  
Jaeger: Oh crap.  
  
Kurt: Make Van shut up!  
  
ME: *Types this: Van suddenly suffered a fatal heart attack and fell to the ground.*  
  
Van: Duh, vampire.  
  
ME: *Types this instead: Van all of a sudden found himself being chased by a pack of hungry wolves, dying to tear him to pieces.*  
  
Van: Shit. AHHHHHHHHHHHH! *Runs from hungry wolves.*  
  
Kurt: Ja, zhat'll vork.  
  
ME: Good.  
  
(Darky): Sorry, you can review now, but please make them sensible. If people are like me and read the reviews before the actual story (to determine how high/low it rates on the quality charts), then they'll think, "Holy shit, this fic is as stupid as the title suggests!" I don't need that, ok? Also, punch your sister for me. Tell her I wanna see a review form her this weekend. Then punch her again.  
  
Van: Yes! Now get the dogs out of here!  
  
ME: Fine. *Makes wolves disappear.* Happy now?  
  
Van: Yes.  
  
ME: Adios! I'll she you all in hell! 


	11. Sorry

ME: Sorry, this is not a chapter. I'm just informing ya'll that I won't be able to put up any chapters for a long, long time. I'm sorry.  
  
Van (Star-of-chaos): I am a glutton for punishment.  
  
ME: I love that phrase! "Glutton for punishment." I'm using that now if you don't mind.  
  
Van: I do act that way on purpose. It's quite fun, you should try it.  
  
ME: He's a pervert too.  
  
Jasper: If there is at any point in time a slow song... I'm not doing it.  
  
Van: It's not like you even have a date yet.  
  
Jasper: ...  
  
ME (Fire inu): Yes, it is fun to torch my own characters.  
  
(Agent-G): It's only in the R section because I decided to be different. Seriously though, name 3 fics (besides mine) in the R rating. It's not because it's actually an R fic, it's because I'm being my regular, stupid self.  
  
But, though I can't write my fic or review for ya'll's, I can receive and write emails, so feel free to email me nice, long emails at nightcrawler7189@earthlink.net. The only reason this is here is because I had to sneak it in, and I doubt I can pull off a stunt like that too often.  
  
If I'm lucky this'll only last 3 weeks, but if I'm not it won't be until summer you can hear from me again. Life's a bitch, huh?  
  
Jaeger: Yes.  
  
Van: Yes.  
  
Jasper: ...uh, yes?  
  
ME: Please email me! I love to read emails! I love it!  
  
Farewell my fellow fanfictioners! 


	12. Part I of the dance thing yeah

ME: Yay! I'm back from the dead! Let's throw a party!  
  
Van: Cool! I'll get the music!  
  
Jasper: When did you die?  
  
Celeste: No parties!  
  
ME: Fine. Ok everyone, here's a cookie for being so patient with me. Gives you all a huge cookie.  
  
(Nightdragon13): Yo. Glad you like it. Always nice to hear I have fans.  
  
Van: Actually, they're my fans. I'm just willing to share them with you.  
  
ME(Darkygurl11/Darky): Bite me.  
  
(NAT): Thanx. And Kingdom Hearts is the coolest game in history! I want it!  
  
(Agent-G): Hi. I fuckin' hate my computer. It's a bitch! And thank you for telling people about my fic. I now have all these new people reviewing for it. I feel popular!  
  
(yae yang0): Glad you like it, and actually I love the Brotherhood. They're all so funny... Toad's my second favorite character. However, they do have a nasty habit of picking fights whenever they can.  
  
(ldypebsaby): Ha Ha! I like you—  
  
Van: You like everyone! Get a life.  
  
ME(1dypebsaby): As I was saying, that Angel-ending thing sucked. I did however like the, "I wanna slay a dragon" line.  
  
(greenberrypie): I'm glad you enjoyed my fic. You didn't have to read it, but thanks. Lonna and Celeste haven't disappeared, they just don't have important parts yet. YET! My writing can be quite unpredictable, but what can I say? I'm an unpredictable human being. It's a gift. As far as gaining control of her powers... Lonna, we wish you luck.  
  
Lonna: Thank you.  
  
Me: Did you really read all my chapters at once? Wow! My stuff can get pretty long and this one is no exception...  
  
Van: Mental Note—Never offer to paint the house! It's a surefire way to bore yourself to death!  
  
ME: Ok. Now that we've all learned something we'll discuss more sensible things. NAT, I email you for a reason. When you get an email that asks a question, answer it. Don't leave me hangin'. It's just not cool.  
  
Dude, I spent all last night going back and reading my other chapters. It's interesting how much my writing style has evolved (thought I'm not sure if it's for better or worse) and I kept asking myself, "How did I come up with that line?" or "Where did that come from?" But what's really odd is: I liked what I saw. So there.  
  
Also when I was in Colorado we saw a huge peacock right by the side of the road. It was just there. I didn't know peacocks lived in the Rockies...  
  
In this chapter there will be a variety of confusing concepts, but that's ok cuz all will be explained in time. This is just a taste of things to come. Also, this chapter will give you an idea of Steven's power, since I was never very clear on that.  
  
AND NOW...  
  
(The moment we've all been waiting for!)  
  
Chapter 12  
  
(Feels like forever...)  
  
(Actually, it's only chapter 11, but I dun care.)  
  
Lonna  
  
"You're not seriously gonna do this right?" I asked Jaeger. "You're so gonna die."  
  
"No I won't. It's perfectly safe."  
  
"You're not even wearing a helmet! Don't die before your dance. Kurt'll get pissed."  
  
Guess what we're doing—Evan, Bobby, Jaeger, and I? We drained the pool, had Bobby make a nifty little ramp, and gave Jaeger Evan's skateboard. Now she's moments away from death because Bobby told her to go down the ramp he made out of ice and into the empty pool for a "science project." She's a dip. A blond dip.  
  
"She won't die," Bobby assured me. "Why would I tell her to do anything potentially life threatening?"  
  
Evan laughed. Not a good sign.  
  
"What's going on?"  
  
Yay! Jasper's come to save his sister!  
  
"I'm about to kill myself for Bobby's science project and Evan's gonna video tape it."  
  
Jasper smiled. "Cool, me next."  
  
I'm surrounded by idiots! Pretty soon I'll be the only one left. First Jaeger, then Jasper, then Bobby, then Van, then Scott, then Ray, then—  
  
"One, two, three—Go Jaeger! Go!" Bobby yelled.  
  
"Don't break my skateboard," Evan said. "Or I'll kill you."  
  
If she doesn't kill herself first that is...  
  
Van  
  
"Ok, before you hit me, just let me say: I don't have a date yet. You don't have a date yet.... Let's compromise..."  
  
Rogue slowly dropped the book she was reading. "Why would Ah want ta go anywhere with you?"  
  
"I know you want me," I told her. "I think you know it too."  
  
"That's exactly why Ah don't like you. You're full of it."  
  
No I'm not... Am I? Hmmmmmm...?  
  
I thought about. Rogue glared at me for leaning on her chair, but I ignored it. Am I "full of it?" Is that what pissed Jaeger off too? Because I'm full of it? Maybe I should ask...  
  
So I left to find Jaeger... and smacked into Lonna instead.  
  
"Hey Lonna, am I 'full of it?'"  
  
"We're all gonna die!!!"  
  
"I asked you a question! 'Am I full of it?' Are you listening at all?"  
  
She looked about ready to murder me. "Are you listening!?!" she demanded. "Jaeger's dead and Jasper's next! I'm getting out of here before my turn comes around!"  
  
Jaeger died? Cool!  
  
She ran away. "Wait," I called. "Where's the body?"  
  
"The pool!" she yelled over her shoulder.  
  
Off to the pool.  
  
(A/N: I saw Spider-Man 2 yesterday! It was cool. I saw the Dr. Oct guy. He has the coolest tentacles. I've decided that if I become a mutant, I want  
those and the ability to speak to cats. That way I can tell Tabitha to  
"STOP SCRATCHING ME!!!!!!!")  
  
Minutes later, I found myself looking down at Jaeger, who's currently lying in the pool. She looks... pissed in a way I cannot describe. It makes me very happy she doesn't have a gun or she would go on a killing spree.  
  
"What happened!?!"  
  
I turned and faced a horrified Celeste. Lonna must've alerted the authorities. Logan stood behind her, but he didn't look too upset. (He and Jaeger have... issues. Jaeger likes to piss the poor man off.)  
  
"Nothing... yet," Jaeger spoke. "But Bobby's about to die slowly and painfully."  
  
Bobby whimpered. Poor Bobby.  
  
Celeste relaxed a bit when Jaeger showed signs of life. "But how did you...?"  
  
"Bobby told me too."  
  
And you listened?  
  
Jaeger slowly stood up and climbed out of the pool. I looked at Bobby, but he wasn't there. Must've run off while he still could. Smart man.  
  
Celeste healed Jaeger, so now she's rarin' ta' go, and I still need to ask her about being "full of it."  
  
So I followed her inside. She runs pretty fast when she's pissed. No wonder she's called Jaeger.  
  
But I finally cornered her. "Jag," I asked. "Am I 'full of it?'"  
  
She looked at me like I was an idiot. "Of course not Van," she said sarcastically. "Why whatever gave you that crazy idea?"  
  
"Rogue. But really, am I full of it?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Ok. Thanks."  
  
At least she's honest. But I've got an hour to convince Rogue to go with me, so I need to act fast!  
  
Acting fast didn't work, so I've now resorted to begging.  
  
"I'm really not such a bad guy," he pleaded. "Just gimme a chance!"  
  
"Like ya said before, you could get any girl in the country to go with you, why me?"  
  
"No-duh! I like you!"  
  
"Then do me a favor an stop talkin' to me!"  
  
After a couple more minutes of begging and pleading we worked out an agreement. Rogue will go with me as long as we don't dance. She's not going for me, she's going because wants to see Jaeger in a dress. She still hates me.  
  
But there's still hope.  
  
Steven (A/N: Did ya'll know that butterflies where actually called flutterbies,  
but someone mixed it up and the name stuck? It's true!)  
  
I watched the little butterfly flutter from flower to flower. It doesn't even know I'm here, how sad...  
  
I crouched, coiled the muscles in my legs, and pounced, catching perfectly between my paws. Too easy.  
  
"What are you doing down there?" Tabitha asked above me. "We're all ready to show those people how to party and you're down there playing with bugs."  
  
o.0(A/N: That means he's embarrassed.)  
  
I released my catch and shifted back to my human form... well, mostly. I kept the cat ears, eyes, and tail. A cat is one of my favorite forms.  
  
"Sorry," I said. "I was bored."  
  
"Well you need to find a better way to kill time Cat-Man. Let's go already!"  
  
I followed her out of the house, shifting the rest of my body back to normal. As I climbed into the car I was greeted by Toad.  
  
"What took ya, yo?" (A/N: "Yo" Ha-Ha! I love that!)  
  
"Cat-Boy here was playing with a butterfly," Tabitha laughed.  
  
o.0  
  
Everyone started laughing when she said that. Everyone except Regan that is.  
  
"Yeah, that's great," she said. "Can we just hurry up and go? The sooner I can get away from you freaks the better!"  
  
She doesn't like mutants much. I think that's got something to do with me...  
  
Skyler  
(A/N: Is this annoying you? That's ok, me too... Ok, keep in mind that Skyler's a seven year-old who's not from this world. The confusing stuff's  
about to kick in.)  
  
"HM HM HM, HM HM HM, HM HM HM, HM HM..."  
  
That's "Jingle Bells." I heard someone singing it a long time ago. When it was all cold and snowy. Krismis I think.  
  
I like to sing while I work. And this work is important, that's what Spencer says. He said, "You can't mess this up or the metalman will have our heads!"  
  
I don't know what he wants my head for, but it sounds bad so I better not mess up.  
  
"HM HM HM, HM HM HM, HM HM HM, HM HM..."  
  
I don't remember the words 'cept "Jingle Bells, Jingles Bells."  
  
Almost done...  
  
Who are the X-men anyway? Are they evil? Do they like the song "Jingle Bells" too? Can I be an X-men someday?  
  
Yay! I'm done!  
  
"You have to fight these X-men people," I told my new friend and held up a picture of who I was talking about. Spencer says that we need to destroy them before they destroy us. I dunno what's really going on, but if Spencer says...  
  
Steven  
  
I shot out my long tongue and knocked over the punch bowl with it. It spilled all over some girl's dress.  
  
Toad laughed beside me. "Nice shot."  
  
"Thanks."  
  
Since I can mix'n'match animal traits with myself and other forms, I took on a toad's tongue and general build so I can do anything Toad can. It's a lot of fun!  
  
!!!  
  
It's the X-people! Maybe they've seen Regan. I hopped over toward they were sitting and flipped onto their table.  
  
"Holy matrimony! What's your issue!?!"  
  
What's my issue? I thought it was problem...  
  
"Hi," the blond girl said. "Can we help you?"  
  
"Nope."  
  
"Then leave," the southern girl piped up.  
  
"Have any of ya'll seen my sister?"  
  
"Regan?" asked "Lestat." "I thought she was going with Jasper."  
  
"Jasper didn't have zhe guts to ask her out," said the guy with blue hair. "Zhat's vhy he said he vasn't coming."  
  
"Oh yes, I see."  
  
I sighed. "Nevermind..."  
  
I hopped away.  
  
"Bye, bye!" said Lestat.  
  
Van  
  
As I waved goodbye to the little short guy Jaeger and Kurt left, leaving me and Rogue all alone... awkward...  
  
"So..." I started. "You come here often?"  
  
She looked at me like I was an idiot. I get that look a lot. "Sure," she said at last.  
  
I nodded. Normally I'm so good at this. Guess I'm just afraid of screwing up...  
  
"Is Lestat a good guy, or a bad guy?" I asked her. "I never got that."  
  
"Ya haven't read Anne Rice?"  
  
"I don't normally read. It's against my religion."  
  
"Well," she said. "In 'Interview with the Vampire' Lestat seems really bad, but when ya read 'The Vampire Lestat' ya find out that he's really a great guy."  
  
"Are those books any good?"  
  
She laughed. "Why else would Ah read em?"  
  
Ahhhh...  
  
"You should give em a try."  
  
"Like I said, I don't read. I hate it."  
  
"You're really missing out."  
  
I just shrugged.  
  
Hey that's weird. I just had a conversation with Rogue that didn't involve me getting insulted. Cool.  
  
Lonna  
  
"Jasper, you don't need a date to go to a dance."  
  
"Yes I do!"  
  
"Look, you wanna go right?"  
  
He shrugged.  
  
"So go! ...Just take Jamie and me with you."  
  
"I'm not going, and I'm definitely not taking you two."  
  
"Jasper! Get a life!"  
  
Jamie nodded beside me. He hasn't anything yet, but mental support is what really counts... right?  
  
"Jasper," I said calmly as possible. "Van is going with Rogue. The chances of Rogue turning him down for a dance are, oh... ninety-nine percent. Van will then have to find someone else to hit on."  
  
"Yeah," Jamie finally decided to join us. "So he's gonna go up to your sister—"  
  
"Exactly," I finished. I think it's better to let it hang. That way Jas can come up with his own ideas and torture himself. He's good at that.  
  
"Jaeger can take care of herself," he said but in a I'm-not-so-sure kinda' way. "I told Kurt to look after her."  
  
"What's Kurt gonna do!?! Tell Van to go hit on his sister!?!"  
  
Jasper shut up. Why is he so difficult!?! Why!?!  
  
Hmmm.... "!?!" I do that a lot don't I?  
  
"Look," I said, gaining control of my temper. "No one has to know you're there. Just take a peek. Make sure Van's not harassing your sister. But take Jamie and me."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Because it's every middle schoolers' dream to go to a high school dance."  
  
He sighed. "Ok, let's go."  
  
YES!!!  
  
Steven  
  
I've spotted that X-person with the sunglasses! He scares me... I'm debating whether or not I should just avoid him....  
  
!!!  
  
He's talking to Regan! Why? Why's he talking to my sister?  
  
That red-head is there too. What are they talking about?  
  
"Hey," Toad said. "Whacha' lookin' at?"  
  
"Hold on." I shifted my ears to a cat's and strained to hear what they were saying.  
  
"He's really not here?" Regan asked.  
  
"Nope," Red-head said. "Sorry."  
  
"We thought he'd be going with you," said the Sunglass Kid. "But if you don't know where he's at neither do we."  
  
"Oh, ok. It's just that my date's a jerk so I thought that if Jasper was here I could talk him into dancing with me."  
  
JASPER!!!  
  
What makes that guy so special? Why does she obsess over him? She hardly even knows the bastard! I'll bet she doesn't even realize that every one in the little X-people group is a mutant, including Jasper!!! I'll bet that if she knew what he was she wouldn't think so highly of him! She'd be even more pissed if she knew he had horns and wings and a tail!!! At least that what Toad said...  
  
I shifted my ears back to normal and said to Toad, "Let's go outside for a while."  
  
He gave me an odd look, but shrugged it off. And with that we hopped outside, but not without bugging Lance first.  
  
See, he's going with a goody-goody X-person. What's her name? Kat? Kitty? Oh well, we gave them a hard time—teasing, annoying them, the usual—before leaving the building.  
  
"What's wrong, man?" Toad asked me.  
  
"I hate that Jasper kid!"  
  
I shot my tongue at a tree. Hey, I need to beat up something; I might as well make something that won't hit me back.  
  
He sighed. "So do we! He's an X-man!"  
  
I just growled, shot another tree, this time winding my tongue around it and tugging at it. There's no way I can pull it out, but I'll try.  
  
"All you gotta do is show your sister what he looks like. That'll while that stupid smile off his face!"  
  
"Yeah." I shot my tongue out again at what I thought was a tree, but it felt... odd. Not tree-like at all. But I can't see what it is. I kept my tongue wrapped around it so I wouldn't forget where it was and started to shift my eyes.  
  
"I mean, if Regan saw his true colors... she'd hate him!"  
  
Oh my God.  
  
"She'd never speak to him again!"  
  
That's not possible.  
  
"She'd probably kill the guy for lyin' to her!"  
  
But... it's alive... but not really alive...  
  
"And then—"  
  
"Thsut up," I said through a tongue full of bone.  
  
"Huh? What is it, man?"  
  
I slowly unwound my tongue and stepped back. It moved again. I swear to God I've never been so freaked out in my life!  
  
"You're starting to freak me out Steve. What's goin' on?"  
  
"I think now would be a good time to go inside."  
  
He gave me a quizzical look.  
  
"There's a dead thing out there."  
  
"What is this? 'The Sixth Sense'?"  
  
"I'm not kidding."  
  
"This isn't funny Steve! What's goin' on?"  
  
I grabbed his shoulders and shook him. "This isn't a joke! There's a dead T- rex out there that's..."  
  
"A dead what!?!"  
  
"It's not really dead, it's...."  
  
"What?"  
  
"It's—"  
  
And then I was struck by such incredible pain that swore for a moment I was dead, but somehow I managed to live...  
  
"What did you do!?!" Toad screamed at me in terror.  
  
"Nothing," I managed to get out. "I didn't do anything!"  
  
I looked back at our attacker, but it was ignoring us now. It was peaking through a window into the gym. What's it looking for?  
  
"Let's get out of here!" Toad said, utterly terrified.  
  
"But... what about Regan?"  
  
"You're sister's fine, man! Let's just scram!"  
  
The skeletal monster slowly moved itself around the wall, pushing its nose to it like it was... testing it out....  
  
I got a bad feeling about this.  
  
The Creature stepped back for a moment, then swung its tail into the wall!!! It's not trying to get in is it? My sister's in there!  
  
I turned to where Toad was, but he was gone. Can't blame him. This isn't exactly a friendly looking creature. Guess it's up to me.  
  
I shifted to a cheetah and ran at full tilt back to the gm doors. I shifted to my human form as I neared them and pushed them open. All I could see was people spazzing out and screaming. I looked at the wall my little friend was at and saw that it coming close to breaking the thing down. I gotta get Regan out. Fast.  
  
"Regan!" I yelled. "Regan!"  
  
No answer. Big surprise. I couldn't even hear myself over everyone else's noise.  
  
So I shifted from human to wolf and went to look for her. Now I know I probably don't have tons of time, but I can't just find her by running around and biting ankles, so I smelled the air, seeking out her sent.  
  
There was another crash. I need to concentrate...  
  
Aha! Got it!  
  
I took off, howling at people to get out of my way. The only problem with that is.... Well, there's already a monster trying to break in and now there's a wolf running around in the school. It only made matters worse, but that's not really important. What is important is that I find Regan!  
  
Which I just did. I shifted to human and ran the rest of the way.  
  
"Regan," I panted. "We gotta go!"  
  
Lonna  
  
"Jasper, Jamie and I can't fly, could you at least slow down a bit?"  
  
"But—"  
  
"Van's not gonna like, make it with your sister ok?" Jamie huffed.  
  
"Yeah Jas," I agreed. "Van's not that crude."  
  
"Fine." He landed his feet on the ground beside us. "I'll hoof it."  
  
"Ok, good," Jamie said as he sat down. "Can we take a bit of a break? Lonna and I've been running since we left the Institute."  
  
Jas sighed like he was so put out with us, but nodded.  
  
So James and I huffed and puffed till we couldn't anymore. Then Jas said, "Can we go now?"  
  
I nodded. "But you can run faster than us. We're still tired. So keep a steady pace, ok?"  
  
He nodded. "Let's just go already!"  
  
And we were off running again. Although Jas didn't keep a steady pace, Jamie and I managed to keep up with him pretty well. Well... ok, not that well, but we could still see his wings. Yeah, you heard me. His WINGS!!! The dumbass didn't bother to bring his stupid watch! That idiot. We've already been the cause of two car accidents. I guess seeing two kids chasing after a guy who looks like Lucifer doesn't happen everyday.  
  
Especially not when the kids are yelling things at him like, "Hey! Slow down!" and "Wait up, man!"  
  
Great. Now the whole world thinks I'm a devil worshipper. Figures.  
  
I think Jas noticed he left us a bit far behind and stopped while we caught up. "Thanks," Jamie gasped. I just gulped down air. Yeah, I stopped breathing a little while ago. Running like this can do that to ya.  
  
"Man ya'll'er slow."  
  
I'm gonna hit him. I swear to God, I'm gonna hit that evil, no-good, son of a—  
  
"Let's go," Jamie said between breaths. "We're almost there."  
  
I nodded. I'll have time to get some air in my lungs later. No one died from a little lack of air.  
  
As we neared the building all I saw at first was a cheetah running toward the doors of the gym. No if that isn't odd get this. About feet away it transformed into a human!!!  
  
"Hey that's Regan's brother..." Jasper noted.  
  
After this little incident I heard a loud BANG and noticed what I'm gonna call a big... dead... T-rex... skeleton....  
  
"Um, Jasper," I squeaked. "I don't think this is such a good idea...."  
  
Jamie nodded soundlessly beside me. I'm not the only one who's freaked out.  
  
"MY SISTER'S IN THERE AND YOU COWARDS WANNA JUST LEAVE!!!"  
  
Ahhhhhhhhh! He's pissed!  
  
He grabbed our shoulders and dug in his claws. Ow, ow, ow, ow. "We are going in there and getting my sister and everyone else out of there. Ok?"  
  
We nodded. Jasper's scary when he's mad. I'd rather face a dinosaur skeleton than him right now.  
  
He smiled a cruel smile. "Alright then. Let's go shall we?"  
  
ME: Sorry to just, like cut it short like that, but this was getting long, my computer's on the fritz, and I'm sure you're all about to kill me for taking so long.  
  
Van: Yes we are. Die you foolish mortal, DIE!  
  
Jaeger: You spaz.  
  
Regan: What a cliffhanger. What happens to me!?!  
  
Lonna: I do that a lot. "!?!"  
  
ME: Yes you do.  
  
Jasper: ...Hi Regan...  
  
Regan: Uh, hi.  
  
ME: Oh get a room! Anyway, I hate to say this but, I'm gonna wait till we get our new computer to type another chapter, so...  
  
Van: Don't say it! I'll kill you if you say it!  
  
Rogue: And Ah'll help!  
  
ME: Wait, where'd you come from?  
  
Rogue: Ah live in this stupid thing too!  
  
ME: You mean the computer?  
  
Rogue: Yeah, so yah better git a new one before I'm forced the put you in a coma!  
  
ME: But if you put me in a coma... how could I write anyway?  
  
Rogue: Death glares.  
  
Van: Beware! It's the stare of doom!! 


	13. Part II of that spiffy dance thing that ...

ME: Yay! I got a new hard drive!!!

Steven: Yay.

ME: (Rolls eyes.) Boy, you sound excited.

Regan: I'm happy for you.

ME: Thank you.

(Nightdragon13): "COMPUTE THIS!!!"

(fire inu): I did finally update. I now have a new computer.

(Greenberrypie): I'm so glad that enjoy it! Cliffhanger ends here. And while, yes, patience is a virtue... it's not one of mine. Also, I'm glad you find it funny. I go for a serious plot (somewhat), but with a variety of humorous twists. Hey, just a spoon full of sugar makes the medicine go down, right?

Steven: Great, now you're quoting from Mary Poppins. What is the world coming to!?!

(1dypebsaby): I did fall off a cliff. How'd you know? And I'm glad you like Jasper. He's a favorite of mine too, and not just cuz he's based off my horsey. It's because he saved me from that long, hard landing. Yes. He saved me from the cliff. As far as Skyler's issues: it's just ever so slightly complicated. But fear not! All will be explained in time! A long time. Oh well. You'll just have to wait. Patience is a virtue after all.

(Ruby631): Hate to break it to you, but... Yes. It is just you. Steven doesn't have a "thing" for Regan. He's just a bit clingy because his own mother's dead and his stepfather sent him and Regan away. She's just about the closest thing he's got to family. He's also a bit jealous that Regan cares more for this Jasper kid than for him. Can you blame the poor guy!?!

Steven: DON'T BLAME ME!!! IT'S NOT LIKE I ASKED TO BE THIS WAY!!!

ME: (Agent-G): Sorry 'bout all the mix up. You're right. I need to be a bit more specific about that. As far as what was going on: Steven is the person who doesn't think words as much as emotions. So when something freaks him out he's not thinking about what it looks like, he's just thinking about his fear. He fears fear. Also, Kitty chose Lance over Van cuz, well... He's Van. You could be his girlfriend as much as you want, but he's still gonna have the hots for Rogue and he's still gonna flirt with any member of the opposite sex. (Within age, he's not a pedophile.) He's not gonna cheat on you, but he's just not for Kitty. You would stick with Lance too I'm sure. If you were a girl that is!

But IS Rogue warming up to Van, the Vampire Man? Well, we'll just have to wait and find out won't we? (I'll be honest with you, I'm not sure myself. We'll just see how the story goes.)

Steven: No one gives a fuck about that vampire pervert!!! Get on with the story!!!

Regan: OMG! I can't believe I'm about to say this but... I agree with Steve. (GASP!)

Ch. 13: Which, by the way, isn't even chapter 13. It's really only chapter 12. And chapter 12 is really only chapter 11. And chapter 11 is something I should've deleted a long time ago. But I'm too damn lazy. So you can just die you blow-jobbing cock bites!

(OUTSIDE)

Lonna

Jas gave Jamie a light, but firm whack. Before I knew it there were three of him.

"You," Jasper said to a clone. "Go get the Professor and Wolverine." He turned his attention back to me and the two remaining Jamies. "You minions are coming with me."

Hate to break this to you Jas, I'm not a hero like the rest of the X-men. I don't do this line of work! I'm just here cause Logan likes me! He thinks I'm funny.... He laughs at me when my shield pops up and I get stuck in my bedroom....

Of course, come to think of it, I'm more willing to fight off giant dead rexes than mess with Jasper right now (who's normally really peaceful by the way).

Oh well. To the Bat Mobile!

(AT THE DANCE... WHICH REALLY IS NO LONGER A DANCE. IT'S MORE OF A DEMOLISHED GYM NOW...)

Steven

"I kinda figured we needed to leave!!!" Regan screamed into my ear.

Then I saw Sunglasses-at-Night actually take his shades OFF, only to see him swap them for a visor looking thing. I can't help but wonder what the difference is....

Then Regan grabbed my arm. Hard.

"What did you do!?!" she demanded.

... meep...

"I-I didn't do anything! I swear!"

"Well then do something!!! You're the mutant right!?!"

Then Red and Sunglasses-at-Night came up. "Don't worry," Shades said confidently. "We'll stop this mess."

Regan let go of my arm slowly.

"What are you gonna do?" she asked warily. Great. She wants to see me save the day and die trying, but she can't bear to see Shades get hurt. Oh yeah. She loves me. ...Not!

All of a sudden Lestat runs up and starts yelling, "Dude that's a big ass dinosaur!!!"

His girlfriend ran up behind him. "Whadda we do?"

Shades thought for a moment. "We need to find Kitty, Evan and the other two. Van, Rogue, you look for Kurt and Jaeger—"

"I'm right here!"

He jumped. "Whoa! Don't do that!"

The blonde girl shrugged. "I've been here a while...."

"Where's Kurt?"

She looked around. "I swear to God he was just here. KURT!!! JACKASS! WHERE'D YOU GO!?!"

Shades looked back Lestat. "You two go look for Evan and Kitty. Jaeger, where's Kurt!?!"

"I don't know!!!" she cried.

BAMF!

That German guy just appeared out of nowhere with Lance's girlfriend and some other black kid.

"Hey Scott, I found him!"

He ignored her. "Ok then. Since everyone's here: we need a plan."

Blondie gave Shades a funny look. "Ok, but first can you tell me how you can kill things that are already dead?"

He continued to ignore her. "Anyone have any ideas?"

"Sure," the blonde girl said sarcastically. "Let's just resurrect it. Then we can just kill it after that. Maybe it'll even stay dead once it finds out that we mean business!"

He snapped. "Look Jaeger, we a plan! Not your sarcasm!"

"Hey I'm just here for comic relief! Other than that I have no purpose, so I'm gonna do my job to the best of my abilities!"

Lestat shook his head at her. "I agree with Scott on this one dude. This thing is screwin' up my date."

"Oh you poor creature," she said even more sarcastically. "How will you ever live?"

"Like, what's going on here anyway? I mean, I was dancing with Lance and next thing I know we're all like, being attacked by a... dead thing!"

No kidding. Most skeletons are dead after all....

It was at this point I realized that I could no longer hear the sounds of the undead thing. I could only hear their yelling. This made me feel very, very uncomfortable. It's either gone to terrorize some other school's dance, or is just standing around watching us.

I really hope it's the first one.

I turned around just to make sure.

Hmmm. It's not there.

I crept around the corner to get a better look. Nope. It's really not there anymore. I tapped Regan on the shoulder. "It's not here," I said.

"What?"

"It's really not here anymore. Look."

She looked back into the ripped up gym. She then turned to Shades. "Hey, it's gone. The skeleton's gone."

"But...." He looked at all his little friends.

The blond shrugged. "Maybe it decided stayin' alive was for the living and went back to hell?"

"I've got a bad feeling about this, man," the black kid said. "Dead things don't just disappear."

"Sure they do," Lestat said. "When my friend's Grandmother died no one ever heard from her again. She was just gone all of a sudden."

"Hey, hey, hey!"

"Holy matrimony! Jasper you mother fucker! Don't scare me like that!"

That's Jasper!?!

"Mother fucker?" he asked. "I just—"

"What are you doing here Jasper?" Shades asked.

"Well, Lonna told me to get help—"

"What? Why!?!"

"Stop interrupting and I'll tell you!"

I looked back at Regan to see her reaction to Jasper's true colors. She looked horrified. I can't blame her. He's scary lookin' _and_ she thought this whole time he was perfectly normal.

"There's a dead thing trying to eat her."

"Why didn't you help her!?!" Lestat demanded.

"I can't God dammit! She's in her personal bubble!" He flared his giant wings, making him look bigger and even more threatening than before.

"Come on Scott," Redhead said urgently. "We've got to help!"

As they all ran off, Jasper noticed my sister. He stopped dead in his tracks. "R-Regan? Wh-what're you doing here?" He laughed nervously. "A pretty girl like you without a date?"

She stared back at him with wide eyes and took a step back.

He cocked his head. "What?"

"Y-you," Regan stuttered.

He looked down at his hands. Or... well. More like talons really. "JESUS CHRIST!!!" He ran after the others yelling something about not wearing a watch.

I turned to Regan. "Let's get out of here. Whadda you say?"

"Sounds like a plan," she said, still staring after Jasper.

(OUTSIDE, IN THE DINOSAUR'S MOUTH)

Lonna

"James," I yelled through my bubble. "What's taking Jas so long?"

Jamie shrugged. "Maybe his wings got stuck in the door?"

Great. I'm stuck between a skeleton's teeth, and Jasper's taking his time.

This just isn't my day is it?

Ok, after we sent a Jamie to get the Professor, Jasper, two Jamies and me ran to the gym to play hero and save the dance. But it turns out this dead thing saw us coming or whatever, and tried to eat me. I was incredibly lucky in a sense, because for once my shield worked at just the right time. Problem is, I don't know how much longer this thing'll hold out. In the past it's lasted for up to and hour, but sometimes it's very brief, like two minutes, or even just thirty seconds!

And I'll be honest guys, if I ever have to die I want it to be because I was old, not because I was stupid and got eaten by a dead skeleton!

Now I know what you're thinking. "Wow. You're pretty relaxed for someone in a life-threatening situation. Well, you would be too. Yes. Yes you would. It's really not that scary. I'm feeling... numb almost. Like all my fear has just totally washed away. It's an odd feeling.

All of a sudden I was blinded by a red light.

I fell to the ground. Good thing for this shield thing of I'd've broken something for sure!

"What took you so long!?!" I demanded when I saw Scott run towards me.

"Sorry."

"Accepted."

And Scott went back to blasting the dead bag of bones.

I saw two Jamies running towards me. "Are you ok?" they asked in perfect unison.

"Sure," I said through my bubble. "I've never felt better."

I focus my attention back to the dinosaur. Man, we were kickin' ass! That's a good sign. Scott was melting its head off with his beams, Jean's holding it still with her powers, Evan's shooting spikes at it, and Jaeger's gone berserk and is blowing up its spinal column along with everything else within five feet of her like grass and bits of debris.

Basically, everyone was doing something, so the bad guy didn't last long. When it was no more than a pile of dust everyone came over to me and the Jamies.

"That was too easy," Scott murmured.

Jaeger shook her head. "Man, of course it was easy! There's fifty of us and one of him! No shit it was easy!"

"That's not what I mean!"

Jean gave me a sympathetic look. "Are you alright?"

"Uh... sure."

"Let's get you back to the Institute and have Celeste take a look at you."

As we walked home to the sound of Scott and Jaeger yelling at each other we ran into Jamie number three along with the Professor and Wolverine. Jamie 3 melded back together with Jamie 2, who in turn melded with the original.

"Professor," Evan started. "This thing just—"

"Yes Evan," Professor nodded. "Jamie told me all about it. I checked Cerebro, but whatever caused this wasn't a mutant."

Jaeger opened her mouth to say something, but changed her mind. Even she doesn't argue with Xavier.

"So...," I asked. "How are we gonna fix this?"

The Professor shook his head. "I'm afraid too many people have witnessed this. There's nothing I can do."

"Ok."

He sighed. "I think now would be a good time to go back to the mansion."

We all nodded.

"I think I'll stick around," Logan growled. "I wanna check things out a bit."

The Professor nodded.

"I'll stay too," Scott volunteered and followed Logan back to what remained of the high school.

All of a sudden I felt a kind of mental chill run down my spine. What if Scott was right? What if this _was_ too easy? I shook my head to clear my mind of bad thoughts. I followed everyone home, rolling around in my bubble. Something's not right, but if it's dead I won't complain.

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ME: Dat's de end for dis chapter!

Van: Nice accent.

ME: Thanx.

Van: No prob.

ME: Dude, there's this girl in my gym class, she's cool and all, but kinda weird too. Was talkin' to me about her boyfriend right? Well then asks me, "Do you a have a boyfriend?" I go, "Nope, boyfriends are too much responsibility." So guess what she does? She tries to hook me up with her twin brother. How weird is that?

Van: Pretty damn weird.

Kitty: Is her brother hot?

ME: Dunno. Haven't seen him.

Kitty: Oh. Well, look at him next time before you flat out say no!

ME: Uh, I'm sorry?

Kitty: You should be.

ME: I'm taking German! Woohoo!

Van: Say something to me!

ME: Guten tag! Wie geht's?

Van: Cool!

ME: That was "Good day. How are you?"

Van: I'm good.

ME: Then you would say, "Gut."

Van: Gut.

ME: Now say , "Und dir?" That's "And you?"

Van: Und deer?

ME: Sehr gut.

Van: Wazzat?

ME: Very good.

Van: No fair! I'm better than you are!

ME: ...?


	14. Ch 14

ME: Yo, yo, yo! I'm back and ready for action my homie G-dawgs!

Celeste: …?

ME: I would randomly like to point out that the owner of a white pickup truck needs to move his Goddamn car OUT OF MY DRIVEWAY!!! WHO ARE YOU BASTARD!?!

Celeste: But, that's the pool guy. He's here to clean your pool.

ME: Dude. The pool guy came yesterday. Plus this car doesn't have that nifty little sign on the side that advertises their pool company.

Celeste: Maybe he just got lost.

ME: And maybe he's a dick.

Lonna: This is so funny watching D-m-n-w-t tell Celeste off. I would kill for a camera right now.

ME: Ask my mom. She has like, 4 digitals. She's a big picture person.

Lonna (fire inu): I think it was too easy too. I'll bet you anything that crazy writer has bigger, more incredibly wicked plans for us.

ME: Have you been reading my chapter summary sheet again?

Lonna: You don't have a chapter summary sheet. You have all this shit planned out in your head. You don't write any of your ideas down.

ME: That's why your name is Lonna.

Lonna: What?

ME: I had a different name for you at one point, but I forgot what it was and called you Lonna instead.

Lonna: o.0 Really? What was my other name?

ME: I forgot dude!

Celeste (Idypebsaby): That's a good question. How IS this lizard incident going to be explained? ((Gives D-m-n-w-t a look.)) Jasper! How are you?

Jasper: I'm ok.

Celeste: I'm glad to hear it.

Jasper (Ruby631): OUR WHAT!?! Eternal love, eh? Do I even want to know?

Jaeger: Yay! Jasper finally has a cool little girlfriend! ((Wink, wink.))

ME: Aw. How cute. Ruby631, I'm never letting you live that down. I'm so gonna bug you about that for the rest of eternity!

Jasper: ((Just stands there.))

ME: He doesn't know how this "eternal love" thing works.

Jasper: I think she was just joking.

ME: Probably, but still. How many admirers do you have now? Two, right? Ruby631 and Idypebsaby. Wow. Jasper's popular! Those two are competing for Jasper's love!

Van: I find it interesting that I'm the sexy one, but everyone has a crush on Jasper instead.

ME: It just goes to show how far you can get with a good personality.

(cuz im your cuz): I hate you. I specifically told you NOT to read what I write. Not only that but I also told you NOT to review for anything! Next time we see each other, I'm kickin' your sorry little behind! I will never let you look at my computer again! It's off limits! OFF LIMITS!!! And what the hell do you mean by "may life be like a roll of toilet paper, long and full of happiness"? You mean long and full of CRAP!

If you're gonna review, make it good. I don't need your waffles, ok? Waffles are all fun and good, but you've taken it too far! Do you know how pissed off Agent-G was!?! You. Will. Die.

Van: Please don't tell me—

ME: Yes. That's you. You in real life. You're so much worse in person.

Van: No. That can't be true.

ME: It is.

Van: LIES!

Chapter… 14, right?: Which, isn't even chapter 14, it's actually—

Van: Get on with it!!!

Oh, right.

"Find anything?" Scott asked Logan. They had been searching for two hours and had found nothing except broken glass debris from the destroyed gym.

"I think I may have," Logan responded. He breathed in the night air. There it was again. Someone was here. "I think I've got a scent."

Scott grinned. "Follow them?"

Logan nodded. "But first…." He pulled out s cell phone and dialed the Institute's number. "Charles…. Yeah, I think we got him…. I will." He hung up.

"That was fast," Scott commented.

"Just thought I'd let Xavier know," the Wolverine responded. "Case we need backup."

"We won't, will we?" Scott asked.

"We're about to find out." Logan turned and ran after the trail.

Scott hesitated. "I've got a bad feeling about this…"

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Celeste

"What?!" I shouted.

"I don't think what we're dealing with is a mutant," Charles repeated. He sounded calm, but I could tell he was worried.

"Of course it's not a mutant!" Lonna snarled beside me. "It was a dead thing!"

"What should we do?" I asked.

"For now, we'll wait until Logan and Scott return," Charles said quietly. "We'll choose a course of action then." He looked at Lonna. "I believe it's time to send the students to bed, they've had a long night."

Lonna grumbled something about seeing skeletons in her sleep, but she tore herself from my side and left Xavier's office.

"Good luck. I think they're a bit riled," I muttered.

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Steven

"I didn't do anything!!!" I defended myself and Toad.

"Yeah," Toad agreed. "We didn't do nothin'! We just go outside for a little fresh air, and before we know it we're bein' attacked by some—some… thing!"

"Fine, whatever!" Regan screamed back.

"Don't be so pissy because you're boyfriend turned out to be some mutant freak," I spat at her.

"He's not my boyfriend!" she screamed again. I guess I struck a cord.

"Then stop blaming all this shit on me!"

She made some growling sounds and then turned so she could look me directly in the eye. I felt a little intimidated by her stone hard glare.

"I'm sick of living in this dump."

I don't like where this is going.

"So I think," she continued. "I'm going to go on a little… vacation."

Definitely don't like where this is going.

I expected her to say more, but she just turned on her heel and marched upstairs.

What it she thinking?

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Celeste

((THE NEXT MORNING… LIKE AFTER LAST NI—

Van: GET ON WITH IT!!!))

I was up almost all night, first trying to get the kids to sleep, then simply waiting for Scott and Logan to get back. I downed at least four cups (and I mean _big_ cups) of coffee in order to stay awake.

But Charles eventually got me to go to bed.

But not even the Professor can make me stay in one place long.

I woke up at four this morning (after going to sleep at two) to wait for the rest of the X-men to return. Now, the digital clock on the microwave reads 6:23, and still no sign of them. I breathed deeply. Logan and Scott could take care of themselves.

I took a sip of coffee. Looked at the clock again. Nothing about it changed. Same time. Same glowing green numbers.

"Waiting for Scott?"

I almost dropped the coffee cup. I turned and saw Jean. Behind her was Lonna.

"Don't forget Logan," Lonna reminded her.

"Would you two like to come sit with me?" I asked them. "I've got some hot coffee here."

Jean accepted my offer, but Lonna just sat in the chair, gazing out the window. She was worried about them. Lonna had adopted Scott as an older brother, and Logan meant a lot to her too. Jean of course was worried, seeing as she had a "thing" for Scott.

"You think they're ok?" Lonna asked, still staring out into the dark.

"I'm sure they're fine," Jean reassured her, trying to sound positive. "If there was trouble they would've called for backup."

Lonna didn't answer. Just continued to look.

I held the coffee again to my lips and was about to drink some down when—

"I thought I told you get some sleep."

Jesus! Would they stop sneaking up on me like that? First Jean and Lonna, now Charles!

"Charles," I said. "How can you expect me to sleep?"

"I told you they were fine. In fact Logan just called. They're on their way back."

Lonna tore her eyes from the window and smiled. Jean breathed a sigh of relief. I silently thanked God.

"Miss Nolan," Charles spoke to me again. "We have one issue though. The children still need to attend school. I was thinking you could help me find one."

With the weight of Scott and Logan's absence lifted from my mind, I was able to focus my mind on other things. "I'd love to."

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Regan

I stopped when I reached the iron gates. I sudden felt… stupid. Standing here in the cold. Really stupid. The guy I like—_liked_—is a mutant and I don't think I can face him. That and… well…. You would feel the same way. I hardly even know these people. Plus, it's 7:30, who's gonna be awake at 7:30!?!

"Uh, Regan?"

I jumped. Spun around. Scott. "You scared me."

He seemed a bit distracted. "What are you doing here?"

I opened my mouth to answer and noticed a burly guy beside him. He was kind of… hot. In that strong, silent sort of way. I smiled. "Well, I'm having some trouble at the boarding house," I began awkwardly.

"You wanna stay here?" he asked. "Great! C'mon in!"

I was relieved. I only just realized how rude I was. I can't just barge into someone's house and expect them to let me stay! Damn, what was I thinking?

Oh, right. I wasn't.

I followed Scott and Mr. Silence inside. They were greeted by five people. I recognized Jean, but there was a younger girl there two and an older man who was bald. I also saw two older women, one, an African woman with snowy white hair and another lady with dark brown hair.

"Who's this you have with you?" the bald guy asked.

"I'm Regan," I told him. I can introduce myself, thank you.

Scott and Mr. Silence said something to the bald guy in the wheelchair. He looked a bit curious and said something back. They nodded and left somewhere. They weren't talking about me, were they?

I was distracted by steps coming down the stairs. I looked up and saw a group of maybe five people; Jaeger, Van, Evan, Kitty, and… Jasper.

He choked when he saw me. He started coughing and Jaeger laughed, patting his back to dislodge whatever was in his throat. I was a bit intimidated. He's not exactly friendly looking.

"H-hey!" Van said pointing. "Jas, it's your girlfriend!"

Jasper muttered something I couldn't hear and stared at his feet.

Jaeger asked, "Where's Scott? I swear I heard his voice!"

"He's in my office," the older guy said. "I need to speak with him."

BAMF!

Holy…. Jasper and this guy…. They're…. These guys can't all be weird-looking mutants, can they?

Jaeger pointed at the blue guy. "Dude, you can friggin' teleport, and I _still_ beat you downstairs!"

"It's nicht mein fault if I'm allergic to morning," he retorted.

His voice sounds like… Kurt's….

Oh my God I have to get out of here.

"Hey," she said. "Do I look like a morning person to you!?!"

He shrugged. "Not really. You look like a mess."

She laughed at him. "You're a mess 24/7, but do you hear _me_ complain?"

He snorted.

Ok, so… these guys are all mutants. Which is bad, cause that's why I ran away from the Brotherhood. So I basically just ran back into what I trying to escape. "Ironic," I said under my breath.

"What's ironic?" said Evan. "The fact that even though Furball here could get downstairs before you can say, 'I beat you' and yet we all beat him?"

"That's not irony," Kitty argued. "Irony is…." She paused and thought about it for a minute.

"Yeah see, you don't even know."

"What would be ironic is if instead of flesh-shredding bullets, guns fired all-healing potions that could cure even the common cold." (A/N: Lol! Sarge ROOLS!)

"That's not irony either dumb-ass!" Van laughed. "That's just highly unusual."

I really, need to leave.

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(THIS IS… LIKE… TWO DAYS LATER WHEN THE X-MEN GO TO CELESTE'S SCHOOL. I'd've put more about their weekend with Regan, but I decided I wanted to do this instead. So ha! I'm the writer, you can't tell me what to do!)

Tino

Fuck. Fuck, fuck, fuck. I had a paper to write on "To Kill a Mockingbird," and didn't do it. I swear, I was about to, but… kind of, sort of forgot. Not on purpose! What? You think I _try_ to forget these things?

Mitch: Dude? You look a bit freaked, man. Chill.

Me: I'm not freaked per say… just, uh; worried that another failing grade in English could ruin my life.

Mitch: Ruin it? How?

Me: Will a decent collage want a kid who can't write? Doubt it.

Mitch: Who cares about fuckin' collage? Live in the world of today, man. Don't worry about tomorrow.

Me: Poetic.

Mitch: ((Shrugs)) Whatever.

We walked to our first class, English. Me silently praying to God that Mrs. Bremen would forget that our papers were all due.

Christie: Hey T! You do your paper?

Me: Fuck no.

Christie: What? Why not? I reminded you like, three times yesterday and the day before!

Me: No… you must have gotten the wrong number.

Mitch: He's such a retard.

Me: ((Snorts))

Christie shook her head and sat down in her seat across the room from ours. Mitch took his place to my right, and I of course sat down in my assigned chair in the back of the row.

I noticed a girl in front of me. The seat was normally empty, but not today. Is she new?

Mrs. Bremen: Ok class, I'd first like to introduce to you all a new student—Kitty Pryde.

Mitch: '_Whispering._' Fucking hot.

Mrs. Bremen: She came from Bayville High School and will be staying with us until—

Some kid in my class: Isn't that the school that got blown up or something?

Mrs. Bremen: ((Ignores us)) –their school gets rebuilt. Some of her other classmates will be at Briarwood too. I hope you all do your best to make them feel comfortable.

Everyone in class: Yes ma'am.

Mrs. Bremen: Now, about those reports.

Oh fuck.

ME: Finally updated!

Van: Woot woot!

Jaeger: At long last!

Tino: We thought this day would never come!

ME: Wow. You got here fast. You were only _just_ introduced and yet here you are, partying with the rest of us.

Tino: I'm cool like that.

ME: Again, sorry it took me so long. I give you all permission to hit me.

Van: Don't do that! You know how many people are gonna smack you!?!

ME: We're about to find out.


End file.
